Restaurants in Franklin

“In a world of endless dining options, it’s rare to encounter a restaurant that feels like a quiet revelation—one that doesn’t shout its excellence but simply delivers it, course after course, with such precision and grace that you leave wishing that you’d found this gem sooner. The food itself is the quiet star. Each dish arrives as a small masterpiece of balance—flavors layered with intention, textures that surprise without gimmickry. In short, this is one of the very best restaurants I’ve ever visited—anywhere. It doesn’t chase trends or demand attention; it earns it through quiet excellence. If you value food that respects both ingredient and diner, make the reservation. You’ll likely find yourself, as I did, already planning the return visit. Highly recommended—worth every moment and mile, and we come from SWFL.”

“Perdect coubtry style food, great service.”

“Had another great lunch today. Even with the chaos of Pumpkin Fest in town the hostess was polite and organized. Our server was Mama..she is a gem. Food was delicious”

“Had a great experience with excellent beer! Glad we stopped by while staying here for a couple of days. Bartender was super friendly and helpful. Will definitely come back next time we're in the area!”

“Everything we have gotten there is delicious! We LOVE the BLT on almost any bagel. They are always kind, helpful and very friendly. We visit town every few months and always make Brooklyn Bagels our go to eatery.”

“Wow!! What a place! It is SO rare to find an establishment that has the Perfect mix of: ambiance, food, service, music, vino/drinks and Owner engagement. This place hits it out of the park. The space is magnificent. The service is second to none. They make their own wine. The entertainment was wonderful (and not overwhelming). The food is spectacular and the hosts are warm and genuine. It’s obvious this, is a labor of love. We drove in from Cashiers and will be back Very soon. Great job Dion, Cathy, Renzo and Brittany. Not to be missed!!!!!”

“What an absolute delight! We stumbled upon this hidden gem of an Italian restaurant, and it truly lived up to its name. From the moment we walked in, the cozy, inviting atmosphere made us feel right at home. We decided to try their pizza, and it was a revelation! The crust was perfectly crispy yet wonderfully chewy, the sauce had that rich, authentic tomato flavor, and the cheese was perfectly melted. I absolutely loved it, and the kids devoured their slices with enthusiastic approval. It’s safe to say it was a hit with the whole family! Beyond the fantastic food, the service was warm and attentive, making our dining experience even more enjoyable. This is definitely a place we'll be coming back to again and again. If you're looking for incredible Italian food in a charming setting, this hidden jewel is a must-visit!”

“excelente servicio y comida muy buena.”

“I am giving 3 stars. I would give 5 stars if the service had been kind of decent. I was visiting family in Franklin this weekend and we chose to try Graff’s for the first time for lunch on Saturday. It was busy, but not swamped. We, a party of three, were greeted by the pleasant host who seated us immediately. We perused the menu, no server; I visited the restroom and came back, no server. I perused the menu again, no server. The host said our server would be out shortly. I thanked her. I could see the door to the kitchen/back and saw a server looking out…towards my table. After several seconds, she headed towards our table…in no hurry at all. She greeted us and took our drink order and started to leave. I asked if we could give our order since we had had plenty of time to look over the menu and knew what we would like. She took the order: an appetizer of cheese dip & chips, 3 “Big Money” burgers (came with fries). She returned with our drinks (all waters). After a little bit, I see her coming towards our table with burgers. We haven’t gotten the appetizer (for which the literal definition is: a small portion of food or drink served before a main meal to stimulate the appetite). She and another server put the burgers down and says “your cheese dip will be right behind your burgers”. Wait. What? My sister says that she doesn’t want it now that we have our entrees and that the purpose of an appetizer is for it to be served before the entrees. Then the cheese dip and chips are being sat down while she is saying that. My sister is too nice and says just leave it. There was a half apology. Didn’t feel sincere at all, but just something to say in order to flee the table. For the food: the burger was legit! It was cooked well, seasoned perfectly, juicy. The bun was toasted and the veggies on it fresh. The fries are my own personal problem. It’s like those frozen, lightly battered fries. They came out hot and were great for about the first three minutes…then they get cold and a weird texture. But they, too were seasoned really well and cooked perfectly. I just don’t prefer that type of French fry. I prefer just a plain, fresh cut fry. I had to ask for a refill on my drink. We asked for to-go containers for half a burger, and the appetizer. The server brought back one big open box….for half a burger, almost all of the chips from the appetizer, and almost all of the cheese dip. Yeah. We had to ask for a container for the cheese dip. I felt like a huge inconvenience at this point. I’d go back for the burger alone and try another side. I would definitely ask for another server if I ended up with the one from this weekend. The host was great!”

“last sat evening went for usual baby back rib dinner. ordered ice tea unsweet it came sweet, ordered side salad with balsamic dressing it came with honey mustard dressing, ordered 3 baby back ribs got half a slab of st louis ribs. asked for some wet wipes and they were brought over we opened two pack which ]were dry. Still gave our waitress a nice 20 % tip. Will see what happens next sat !”

“My best friend and I live in Hayesville NC. We travel over the mountain just to eat here. We have never been disappointed in the food, service, etc. Every sandwich we have tried is great. We have a habit of testing Ruebins. Gazebo is the best that we have eaten. The soups of my. are fantastic as well. Today we we had a slice of Coconut Custard pie. Wow just Wow. it was amazing. I highly recommend anyone to eat there. April we love you. you are fantastic inside and out. Thank you for making our lunch great to the whole crew. we will definitely get photos next visit. see you all soon ❤️❤️”

“Stopped in at 6am, 18 Sep 2021 for breakfast on the way to the river to do some fly fishing. Awesome breakfast.”

“Went to breakfast ,excellent food and service. It is a walk up and order place with great outside seating or inside”

“Breakfast was perfect. The waiter was friendly and prompt. The cook/manager cooked the perfect over medium eggs I've had in a long time. I got a country ham ranch platter. The country ham was also perfect. Coffee fresh. Bathrooms clean, stocked and smelled good.”

“Delicious food, excellent service, great atmosphere! Highly recommend it!”

“Delicious! Our delivery driver accidentally messed our school order up and they were more than generous with fixing it for us when it wasn’t their fault to begin with. The coffee, breakfast sandwiches and donuts would’ve been worth it though had we paid for it twice!”

“Amazing, love stopping by and hanging out. Definitely recommend”

“it's a fantastic place and the vibes are all there, I sing there sometimes and the dj is great. The regular staff are very kind to me and I would most definitely recommend you to go there”

“This is a made from scratch bakery, Latin style, with some delicious baked good, very friendly and attentive staff . It is for pick up only as there are no sitting arrangements. Worth a stop. I really like their bread. Their puff pastry ear is tasty, and also de coconut muffin. Unbeatable prices also!! Three pastries and one small loaf of bread for under 7$ total”

“Great coffees, Milkshakes, Ice Cream, and the homemade warm, Waffle cones!!!”

“This is my go-to restaurant. I would say probably my favorite in Franklin. The people are always friendly, the food is always good.. it's a good value and there's always enough to take home for a second meal.”

“Stopped by while passing through town and glad we did. The ice cream is fantastic, and the atmosphere was very friendly and family oriented. Will be back!”

“Nice sitting next to the Little Tennessee River while drinking a nice helles lager, Ten Year Bier! 😁 will be back!!

***EDIT…came back! This time, having the dark Slick Rock and it’s amazing!

The vibe here is hipster meets biker meets outdoorsy people meets….😋 shiny happy people!”

“Such a laid back bar with lots of locals. There are these 2 beautiful good girls coming around for pets. Not sure if they're the owner's dogs, but they were my highlight of the visit 😁”

“We had a lovely dinner on a Sunday evening. Try the fried avocado slices with lime cilantro aioli. They are phenomenal. Best appetizer I’ve enjoyed in some time. The chicken was also quite fabulous. Happily surprised and looking forward to returning!”

“If you need a quiet spot to meet the girls and have tea, coffee or a delicious snack…. this is the spot! They have fresh baked goods every day! The owner Ingrid and her crew work very hard at making fresh goods daily! They also can do larger scale orders of cakes and such if you just chat with her! My favorite thing is the espresso flight! Best $ i’ve spent on coffee! 10/10 recommend stopping here!!!!”

“Tasty food. Amazing prices. Friendly servers. Bring cash. Come enjoy some small town dining that is sure to put a smile on your face and your wallets. There aren’t too many places like this left so come support these folks. You won’t regret it!”

“We visited this spot on a whim with 5 kids and 3 adults. It was awesome! Greta food, great service, great ice cream.”

“the salad, and the main courses are always fresh and well prepared. I love the grouper! get there early and there is a line of people wanting there delicious meal. good staff and service. Tonya does an amazing job!”

“The gold standard for fast food customer service. This Chick-fil-A is second to none.”

“Stopped in tonight to have a beer and a bite with friends. My wife had the gyro, and I had the philly cheese sandwich. Both were outstanding! We will definitely be back for more! Great job folks!!”

“We were in Franklin seeking to start an Awake America Prayer Meeting there and stopped for lunch at Dooley’s. Fresh food and fresh vegetables and friendly service . Great home town deli .”

“The best burrito’s in franklin. 10/10”

“the atmosphere was lively, the food was delicious! will definitely be back!”

“We are visiting NC from Florida and have tried Mexican food from all around. From Los Angeles, Florida, Arizona, Mexico, Las Vegas, etc. We never expected to find some of the best Mexican food here in Franklin, NC. I randomly found Ricos Tacos on the map and we decided to stop and try them for lunch today. We got a few tacos and a torta which were all delicious. Very soft tortillas, pillowy soft bread on the torta, everything was very flavorful. It was so good that we came back the same day for dinner and tried their birria tacos and pozole. Unfortunately I only took a photo of the pozole because we are everything before we could remember to take a photo 😆 The birria is by far the best birria de res we have ever had, even better than some of the famous birria spots in Los Angeles. The pozole was rich and comforting. Everything was truly a 10/10. We will come back every time we are in NC. It’s that good!”

“Delicious sopa! I had steak with everything and it was steaming hot. Tasted great with the avocado sauce. Not spicy which I prefer. Great place to stop for a quick bite with some shaded outdoor seating.”

“Fabulous have an extensive supply of everything. Also have bulk foods. Refrigerated foods and frozen. They also don't charge an extra fee for credit or debit cards! Very friendly and informed staff.”

“Best Mexican Food! Staff are always friendly. Manager comes around to ask if we need anything.”

“Beautiful bike ride :) Cant wait to go again!!”

“Let me tell you. They have the best southern fried chicken this side of my mama’s chicken. Like that saying in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes…..”you got a good scald on that chicken”. And that my friends is a compliment, a southern compliment at that. Close your eyes and you’d swear you were sitting at your mama’s table eating her fried chicken and it doesn’t get better than that!!!!!”

“Our first time trying Franklin Pizza Tavern yesterday, and we couldn’t even believe how good the food was! We ate ourselves sick on the Fire on the Mtn pizza, a cheese pizza, and the cheese bread. The best pizza we have ever had and we are so lucky to have discovered this place in our little town. 12/10 recommend that everyone tries the pizza and everything else on the menu. You will not regret it!!”

“Always a good meal and a stiff drink 🍹”

“Best wings…Sweet and Tangy ! Smoked Mac n cheese and Mushroom appetizer, hand breaded, nice. The owner, Darrell, took the time to sit and chat with us..good ppl. Support local!”

“Best subway. Nice employees that work really fast, place is always super clean, tables ready to sit at and they are not shy with the portions. If you ask for extra, you WILL get extra. Sandwich is always warm (when toasted) and ingredients are always good and flavorful. I live closer to the highlands road subway but I’ll always drive the extra 15 mins for this one- this one puts highlands rd to shame!!”

“love there pizza and you cant get unlimited toppings”

“love there pizza and you cant get unlimited toppings”

“love there pizza and you cant get unlimited toppings”

“some good stuff and convenient at most stores I love it”

“Delicious and fresh! Will be coming back :)”

“great increments for kids and adults Sweet and friendly staff great place fora party in there building”

“If you want some amazing food an even better service look no further! We had the molcajete for two and it can feed a crowd and was the best I’ve ever had. Hats off to the chef. Do sleep on this place”

“We're not from around here, and kinda felt like we snuck into a little secret club without anybody noticing. We're coming from South Florida where pool halls charge the table by the hour, so I was pretty stoked that games were $1 each. The drinks were cold and cheap, and even though there was just 1 bartender on a Saturday night we never had to wait for service. The food is also pretty cheap, but surprisingly good! We got an order of wings, and honestly they were better than one of the proper restaurants we were at just a few days before. I'm not sure what the pizza drama is about in these reviews, but the pizza was absolutely bangin. Don't let the strip mall aesthetic discourage you, stop in and you won't be dissapointed!”

“Their food is so so good!! Just the fried rice alone is amazing and literally is the best I've ever had. It's firm, never soggy, and the perfect texture. I also love the honey chicken, it's my favorite. Best of all the plates are really cheap and they give you a TON of food! It even gives me two days worth of dinner, you can't beat that!!! Heads up the place itself looks a taaad on the sketchy side and it's not a sit down type of place 😅, but please don't let that fool you. The food has always been fantastic, i promise it's worth it!!!!”

“absolutely lovely experience!
when out of an ingredient they checked with us for a substitute. the salmon curry and pad thai were delicious! the salmon in the curry was tender and the donuts with sweetened condensed milk was crispy and just the right amount of sweet for an after dinner treat.
100% coming back soon!”

“On September 1, 2022 I ate at Captain D’s in Franklin, NC. I went through the drive-through and received stellar customer service and the fish was so delicious. Cashier went above and beyond and put all the condiment in the bag. So amazing! Thanks for all you do, keep up the great job. Todd”

“Kym was very helpful and friendly. She is definitely an asset to this location. We look forward to seeing her again for our many visits. Food was great! Owners are also very lovely people.”

“Super friendly staff, some of them will chat up a good little convo with you. They are so sweet. It is usually very clean as well, they keep up with the place. And the food, as usual, is amazing 🫶”

“Normally get take out at this location. Always pleasant helpful staff and food is always made very well and quality and they never forget to give you all you need with your take out such as utensils and sauces etc. Great place to go and very affordable prices.”

“The food is very good every time we go. We love their Pad Thai and the variety of sushi is very good as well. The staff have always been friendly and attentive. Highly recommend this place!”

“excellent food and even better service!”

“Great place to eat and very reasonably priced. Friendly staff and good ambiance.”

“I’m leaving this review because something recently happened that felt very unprofessional.

My fiancé has ordered the exact same drink for over a decade — a venti vanilla latte with whole milk, whipped cream, and 3 pumps of classic syrup. Recently at this location the classic syrup has frequently been missing and he has had to ask for it at the window. The whipped cream is also missing about half the time.

Mistakes happen and we’ve always been polite about it. However, during our last visit we overheard a female manager tell an employee that instead of him asking for three pumps he should “ask for six next time.” The manager’s tone when she said this was extremely rude and completely unnecessary, especially considering we’ve never given the staff a hard time about mistakes.

What’s frustrating is that we visit other Starbucks locations in the surrounding area and they never seem to have this issue. The drink is always made correctly and consistently there. At this particular location, it often feels like the classic syrup isn’t being added at all or possibly not the correct amount, and the whipped cream is frequently forgotten.

We’ve always been respectful customers and have never caused an issue for the staff. I hope someone from Starbucks leadership reviews this because the rest of the team here has always been friendly, and it would be a shame for management behavior and repeated order issues to affect what is otherwise a good location.”

“Everybody knows that the town of Franklin is probably one of the only towns in Western North Carolina. Which has waged this ongoing weird sort of lame war on the homeless. There are virtually zero resources for those who are struggling severely to get and keep some work or to maintain some sense of dignity. While this is my lifelong community's greatest shame, and embarrassment, by which Franklin sort of quietly suffers--its Bojangles has been an otherwise brilliant, quiet and unexpected little exception to this gay little rule. The restaurant really has done a great job of standing out And being part of the decency of our locals. As someone who is also struggling and homeless out here in the cold without a place or family to help me, this restaurant has gone above and beyond to help me simply eat a warm meal every once in a while. I highly recommend this restaurant.. It's gotta be pretty f****** embarrassing, too. Treat a homeless man any differently than how this Bojingles does. I call it... Hobojangles! =D”

“I don't eat fast food often, but we decided to stop for something quick, while in Franklin, NC. The og chicken sandwich was really good and the lettuce was nice and crisp, not wilted, etc and a decent amount. The cashier was wonderful! She was patient and helpful. The employees were so friendly! I left, almost not caring of the good was bad. Receiving good friendly customer service isn't always easy to find. Well done to that location. Keep up the good work.”

“The best Brunswick stew!! All their food is great, but we drive from SC just for the Brunswick stew!! Five stars!”

“My wife and I eat there regularly. The service is great and the food is fantastic. It kinda got off to a rocky start when it first opened but with a new Head Chief and extra servers, who are very friendly and helpful, it has come along to be one of the better restaurants in Franklin.”