This restaurant is owned by Lee Frank, a very successful chef in the Seacoast Area. He has been the executive chef at Anneke Jan (RIP) in Kittery, and is currently the owner/chef at Otis in Exeter. He was also a James Beard semi-finalist. The man knows how to cook and knows how to run a restaurant.
I've eaten at Otis and Anneke Jan's several times and always enjoyed my experience at both.
Knowing that, I expected this burger joint to at least be better than average. News flash, it isn't.
Walking through the door gave me my first clue as what to expect. It was like walking into a morgue. Quiet. Still. Not sure you want to be there. There was absolutely no atmosphere. No vibe. And since Lee Frank's is in the location of the former Donut Love shop, it looks a bit like a donut shop. In fact, the tiled wall still says Donut Love.
Like another reviewer said, the seating is limited and the overall feel is like an unfinished project.
I ordered anyway. Cheeseburger with everything, chili cheese fries, and a Coke.
The cheeseburger, smashburger style, was actually pretty good. The meat was well seasoned and the veggies were fresh. I would go back for the burger. I wish the bun was toasted, and I kind of expected it to be since that seems more upscale and in-line with Frank's style.
The fries were the next big disappointment. Crinkle cut, probably from a Sysco box, topped with a chili, that while pretty good, tasted closer to a bolognese than a chili, and finished with still-cold, pre-shredded, packaged cheese, also probably from Sysco. They couldn't even melt the cheese first?
The Coke was a Coke because it came in a plastic bottle straight from the factory.
I'm sure Lee Frank knows how to run a kitchen. And I'd bet he knows how to run a restaurant. What I don't know is why he runs his namesake restaurant like this. It seems like an insult to himself.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 2
brian stephens
Loved it
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Terry Murphy
This spot to me was better than south berwick maine location and the quality of my double double dirty style burger was much better and not as sloppy, I will return and try the double double dirty style burger, I only go for the burgers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Courtland Shackelford Jr
Great smash burger, with or without the chili and the fries and onion rings are decent. I will continue to visit as long as I'm in the area
Food: 5
Haley Wallace
Really good burger and fries
Food: 5
Sheila Coombs
I was excited to try Lee Frank's but not as good as some of the reviews especially the onion rings that received excellent reviews. They were the worst greasy onion ring I have ever had. I liked my cheeseburger, although I requested no mustard or ketchup and they put it on. I also like a toasted bun. The fries were very good and no idea why the onion rings were so bad ! The atmosphere was leftover from Donut Love so really didn't go with a burger joint.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
Jeffrey Falkingham
if you like in-n-out style - this is the place! Great burgers, onion rings, and fries. If you get your In-n-Out double double animal style, order it dirty style at Lee Franks. Service was particularly good and fast. The only caveat was that the fries were really salty, something to consider when ordering if you like them lightly salted.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Rick Phillips
Terrible! Onion rings were a soggy, greasy mess of crap (more like greasy sauteed onions with no batter) with hardly any batter still on the rings and the burgers might as well be called burger soup! Why is everything so soggy and greasy. You do this for a living so you'd think you'd know better but apparently not...won't ever be back and definitely won't recommend at least to any friends!
Carolle Graham
Much better than the last time. Great burgers must try
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
James Cross
brought me back to growing up in Los Angeles.. I spent plenty of time eating on the hood of my car at Beverly And rampart. NOT Tommy’s, but really close..only critique is get rid of the white cheese and go with the yellow..excellent burger.. thank you
As many places are, they are short staffed as a new busniess, which seems to be leading to longer waits to get the food. We have gone twice now and we all have loved our burgers both times. The shakes are also great and their onion rings are amazing!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lenore Paquette Smith
I was expecting more somehow. We had the thinnest burgers of our lives. However, the onion rings were top-notch! Small seating area, not much by way of a vibe. The whole place seems like an unfinished idea...
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
J D
Looking for an In & Out or 5 Guys smash burger? This is the place. Unbelievable good & probably the best onion rings I’ve ever had. The ranch that goes with the onion rings is fantastic too
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Nicholas Nooney
Excellent diner with a no fuss menu. The milkshakes are hand-scooped and the burgers are generously sized. The crinkle-cut fries are nicely salted.
Online ordering is still being set up; they are waiting to see how orders come in before enabling it fully. But calling to place an order also works in the meantime.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
ryan bonnevie
Order the first time was completely wrong. Which it was newly opened so whatever. South berwick location is always on point. Getting through the cobwebs whatever i said. I went in again and let the ladies at the register know what happened last time and they said there is nothing we can do for you.
I mean if i didnt pay for a double and receive a single i wouldnt really care that the toppings were completely wrong. But im just a little upset i couldnt even get even on what i paid for meat wise lol
Such a disapointment.
This restaurant is owned by Lee Frank, a very successful chef in the Seacoast Area. He has been the executive chef at Anneke Jan (RIP) in Kittery, and is currently the owner/chef at Otis in Exeter. He was also a James Beard semi-finalist. The man knows how to cook and knows how to run a restaurant.
I've eaten at Otis and Anneke Jan's several times and always enjoyed my experience at both.
Knowing that, I expected this burger joint to at least be better than average. News flash, it isn't.
Walking through the door gave me my first clue as what to expect. It was like walking into a morgue. Quiet. Still. Not sure you want to be there. There was absolutely no atmosphere. No vibe. And since Lee Frank's is in the location of the former Donut Love shop, it looks a bit like a donut shop. In fact, the tiled wall still says Donut Love.
Like another reviewer said, the seating is limited and the overall feel is like an unfinished project.
I ordered anyway. Cheeseburger with everything, chili cheese fries, and a Coke.
The cheeseburger, smashburger style, was actually pretty good. The meat was well seasoned and the veggies were fresh. I would go back for the burger. I wish the bun was toasted, and I kind of expected it to be since that seems more upscale and in-line with Frank's style.
The fries were the next big disappointment. Crinkle cut, probably from a Sysco box, topped with a chili, that while pretty good, tasted closer to a bolognese than a chili, and finished with still-cold, pre-shredded, packaged cheese, also probably from Sysco. They couldn't even melt the cheese first?
The Coke was a Coke because it came in a plastic bottle straight from the factory.
I'm sure Lee Frank knows how to run a kitchen. And I'd bet he knows how to run a restaurant. What I don't know is why he runs his namesake restaurant like this. It seems like an insult to himself.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 2
Loved it
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This spot to me was better than south berwick maine location and the quality of my double double dirty style burger was much better and not as sloppy, I will return and try the double double dirty style burger, I only go for the burgers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Great smash burger, with or without the chili and the fries and onion rings are decent. I will continue to visit as long as I'm in the area
Food: 5
Really good burger and fries
Food: 5
I was excited to try Lee Frank's but not as good as some of the reviews especially the onion rings that received excellent reviews. They were the worst greasy onion ring I have ever had. I liked my cheeseburger, although I requested no mustard or ketchup and they put it on. I also like a toasted bun. The fries were very good and no idea why the onion rings were so bad ! The atmosphere was leftover from Donut Love so really didn't go with a burger joint.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
if you like in-n-out style - this is the place! Great burgers, onion rings, and fries. If you get your In-n-Out double double animal style, order it dirty style at Lee Franks. Service was particularly good and fast. The only caveat was that the fries were really salty, something to consider when ordering if you like them lightly salted.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Terrible! Onion rings were a soggy, greasy mess of crap (more like greasy sauteed onions with no batter) with hardly any batter still on the rings and the burgers might as well be called burger soup! Why is everything so soggy and greasy. You do this for a living so you'd think you'd know better but apparently not...won't ever be back and definitely won't recommend at least to any friends!
Much better than the last time. Great burgers must try
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
brought me back to growing up in Los Angeles.. I spent plenty of time eating on the hood of my car at Beverly And rampart. NOT Tommy’s, but really close..only critique is get rid of the white cheese and go with the yellow..excellent burger.. thank you
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
As many places are, they are short staffed as a new busniess, which seems to be leading to longer waits to get the food. We have gone twice now and we all have loved our burgers both times. The shakes are also great and their onion rings are amazing!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I was expecting more somehow. We had the thinnest burgers of our lives. However, the onion rings were top-notch! Small seating area, not much by way of a vibe. The whole place seems like an unfinished idea...
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Looking for an In & Out or 5 Guys smash burger? This is the place. Unbelievable good & probably the best onion rings I’ve ever had. The ranch that goes with the onion rings is fantastic too
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Excellent diner with a no fuss menu. The milkshakes are hand-scooped and the burgers are generously sized. The crinkle-cut fries are nicely salted.
Online ordering is still being set up; they are waiting to see how orders come in before enabling it fully. But calling to place an order also works in the meantime.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Order the first time was completely wrong. Which it was newly opened so whatever. South berwick location is always on point. Getting through the cobwebs whatever i said. I went in again and let the ladies at the register know what happened last time and they said there is nothing we can do for you.
I mean if i didnt pay for a double and receive a single i wouldnt really care that the toppings were completely wrong. But im just a little upset i couldnt even get even on what i paid for meat wise lol
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