42 Best American Restaurants near Franklin

“A good, clean,fun & family friendly restaurant and ice cream shop!“

“Nice bar restaurant at the end of a round. We were there on a Wednesday and it was empty. We order BBQ knowing that it was not going to be fresh as the grills were not going. That said the brisket and pulled port were still good. The sweet potato fries were good as well. Little crispy. We both should have order the bbq souce on the side. Too much on for our taste but we should have asked. Great bar with a large selection of whiskey and bourbon. Service was great too. I would go back. Like to see how it is when it’s fresh.“

“Always enjoy our meal there , it’s always great, and the service is amazing, everyone is always so welcoming and willing to help with whatever we need“

“We had such a wonderful experience with Mathan! Although he is young, he carries himself with the maturity, poise, and professionalism of someone well beyond his years. From the moment he took care of us, he was incredibly attentive, thoughtful, and sincere.

What stood out most was how naturally he went above and beyond. He made sure our waters were always full, paid attention to the little details throughout our meal, found a creative and thoughtful way to honor our Ruby Rewards, and even made sure we had our drink in a to-go cup before we left. None of it ever felt forced—he genuinely seemed to care that we were comfortable and well taken care of.

Beyond the excellent service, Mathan carries himself with such radiant positivity. His warmth and upbeat personality added so much to our experience and made our visit that much more enjoyable.

Mathan is an absolute credit to the team, and I hope his hard work, professionalism, and genuine care for his guests are recognized. We will absolutely be asking for him by name on our future visits!“

“Great old fashioned diner with solid menu and very accomadating staff.“

“Awesome food & great service!! ❤️“

“Great food, awesome service, perfect ambiance!“

“I recommend the waitress Monica Barrera at the IHOP in Panorama City Calif as she gives such great and wonderful service. She asks if everything is ok and always comes back to give refills. This is much appreciated. Best wishes from the original Johnny Blaze, and "may the Blaze be with you."“

“We had our small wedding at Andre's this past weekend, and I am still in awe of how fantastic the event was. Tracey is an all-star. From coordinating calls, decorating our table, marrying us, to keeping us on schedule. Andre had our whole group raving about how great the food was. From the appetizers to the cake, we really couldn't have asked for better. On top of it all, the location is STUNNING! The staff helping to serve us were so friendly and pleasant and together they all helped make sure our wedding day was the best day of our life. I can't recommend Andre's enough, and we will certainly be returning for a meal!“

“Home cooking in a relax atmosphere. Food is excellent and the coffee mugs make you feel like you’re at Granny’s house. Perfection.“

“Food is homemade and portions are large, derive is great , quaint ambiance 16-20 seats inside, coffee is excellent! Service is friendly, well worth going for breakfast in Sussex County NJ“

“We celebrated a milestone birthday in the dining area next to the terrace with delicious food and great service. The bar had a large selection of beer, wine had a dozen options, plus mixed drinks. The staff let me taste a couple beers before I chose one to go with my calamari appetizer which was very large and well prepared. I do think the standout appetizer was the tuna which had an amazing citrus flavor. For my main I had the sea bass while most of the others had streaks. I thought it was delicious and the rice delicious. Maybe a tad too much butter for me, but no complaints. I skipped desert but the chocolate cake and apple tarts looked amazing. Service was top notch, my water glass was consistently filled and the staff present but not too much so. A great late afternoon dining experience.“

“Thank you so much for the amazing food and service at Kites Restaurant at Minerals Resort. Thank you so much Kristen and Aiden at the front desk for all your amazing help and resources. Thank you to all our amazing servers who served us so well, Jasmine, Emily, Connor, Emma, Barbie, Kathy, Kim, Allen (the egg man). God bless you all and we look forward to coming back again. Love Jason and Lilla Albuquerque“

“Always good service and great food.“

“I have had two bridal showers at Portofino in Oak Ridge, and not only did everyone love the food, but Nancy and the entire staff is outstanding. They go above and beyond to help you in any capacity that they can. I highly recommend Portofino either for lunch, dinner or any kind of event you have whether it is big or small. You can't go wrong with Portofino, I can't say enough great things about the staff and restaurant!“

“Ordered one their meals for take out. Great service, great price and great food! Will do again when they have something that looks good to us!“

“TLDR: Top tier brisket. Nearly as good as Texas brisket and certainly best I have had in New Jersey thus far. The hidden restaurant in the middle of a garden is so quaint and peaceful, I recommend going for lunch or a cozy dinner. View of the surrounding hills is also amazing.

Quality of Food: I had no complaints about the food. The garden salad was refreshing and did not lack in its flavor. The brisket was AMAZING. If you look at my other reviews, you will find I am originally from the south and have frequented a few BBQ places in New Jersey, all of which have fallen short of what I have come to find as quality BBQ. This. Did. Not. Disappoint. The brisket was slightly marbled and melted in your mouth. I can only imagine the quality of the Rib Steak if the brisket was top notch. The cornbread was the only thing I could say was standard taste and quality.

Quality of Service: It was neither over-the top nor mediocre service. Seemed like a decent amount of young adults were waiting on tables. We stopped in for a quick bite before heading to a festival, but we had no issues getting our order taken, food delivered and check processed quickly.

Environment & Ambiance: Can't be compared to the other locations at the resort. The garden by itself is adorable and makes you feel like you're in a storybook. Looking out towards the hills provides a feeling of awe. The outside ambiance and cute tables and chairs makes you feel like you're joining Alice at a tea party.

Pricing and Concerns: It's certainly not cheap if you are ordering their higher priced options. However, that being said, it is most definitely worth every penny. Not to mention you're at a resort, so what would you expect besides expensive dishes? For a party of two you can keep it under $$$. Add drinks or an extra person and you're going over. No other concerns to note.

Comment and Recommendation: Yes! I recommend! If I didn't already make it obvious - go for the brisket!“

“Haven't been there in years. Went back to try something new. Happily surprised. Went on Friday. Brought the whole family back on Sunday. The service is excellent and very personable. Met the owner. Very nice couple. You don't feel rushed. The food is very good. Large portions so be hungry when you go. Great value. I also enjoyed the music. I just missed the piano player because I had to leave but I'll be back.“

“My wedding day was 10/05/2025 As a wedding photographer, I would say the view is perfect for the photo!!! We held our ceremony and cocktail hour in the large open mountain area surrounded by lush greenery—it was stunning. For the reception, the indoor barn provided a woody, cozy, and elegant atmosphere that felt both warm and refined. One of the biggest highlights was having the entire venue to ourselves for the whole day. Unlike other places, we didn’t have to share the space with other weddings, which made the experience feel very private and special. Everything was incredibly clean and well-maintained, especially the bathrooms (which were large and spotless!), and the private bridal suite was perfect for getting ready. The owner and staff are true professionals. The owner is an experienced chef, and you can really taste the difference with the farm-to-table menu. Everything was fresh, organic, and seasonal. Our guests haven't stopped raving about how terrific the food was! We also loved the tasting session before the wedding, which helped us feel confident in our choices. The managers guided us through every step, offering great suggestions and coordinating with our vendors (who they have great partnerships with—no pressure to buy!). They kept everything running smoothly and on schedule, answering every question we had along the way. We can’t wait to come back for one of their farm dining events in the future!“

“Had dinner there last night. Service was great with special notice to out server Denise. Tipped her accordingly. Other staff removed used dishes in a timely manner. Meals arrived hot and portion size was perfect. This was our 4 visit to them and always had great dinning,“

“We had a 50 person party yesterday I was pleasantly surprised with the buffet they put out for us and I have to give a HUGE shout out to Matt (I’m pretty sure that was his name. Big smile and his hair in a bun). He was the wait staff taking care of all of us and he killed it! Super pleasant and he worked his butt off to serve us all. If you get Matt, take good care of him!!!!“

“Everything was top-tier, from the food and service to the host, bartender, and manager. Everyone was kind, professional, polite, and respectful, and the food was absolutely amazing. Even the entrance experience, checking in, transferring elevators, and being escorted by security, made it feel exclusive, classy, and exciting rather than like general admission. I highly recommend 71Above to anyone looking for an exceptional dining experience.“

“Super friendly! Great food!“

“Came for dinner with another couple. The tapas eggplant was delicious, light and flavorful. Just lovely. We had two burgers and two steaks. All delicious and perfectly cooked. Service was excellent and the restaurant is beautiful, however, there is a huge bar in the middle of the restaurant. Which normally would not be an issue but this evening four young women were “working” the older men sitting at the bar. It became clear as the evening progressed that this was going on. None of us could believe what was happening right next to our table!! As the targeted men left the bar the young women quickly moved on to their next victims. It was all very obvious and pretty repulsive. Such a shame to have this type of thing happening in a lovely restaurant. I would hope management will be alerted by the bartenders that their establishment has become prey for this type of behavior. Quite unsettling.“

“Spurs are THE best chicken tenders…..my go too every time…..one of our favorite spots for good food, friendly staff…..did I mention the spurs?? And the burgers are great too!“

“wow great food pizza is amazing!! Went to the bar afterwards and had a chocolate martini!! The bartender Alyssa was best engaging and a great smile! Will definitely be back !!!“

“This place is so charming and the food is incredible!!! We sat outside and enjoyed pancakes with berries and the special sweet potato bowl with spinach, mushrooms and pulled pork. They also have espresso drinks and my cappuccino was served with a sprinkle of cinnamon, a lovely touch. This is a wonderful spot for breakfast or lunch“

“Great food, great people, love the new menu!“

“First time here been to the liquor store .The food was amazing the service was great . The atmosphere was great real friendly vibe . We will definitely be back !“

“My husband and I have eaten here several times without each other. Last night we went on a date night. I had their seasonal cocktail the Pom fig which was delicious. My husband had one of their zero proof cocktails called A touch of the blues he liked it very much! We had their calamari appetizer which featured fried lemon slices and lemon curd it was a 10 out of 10 would definitely order that again! I had the Mediterranean Steak Bowl which was incredible to say the least perfect portions, all the flavors complimented each other. My husband opted for the tarragon cod entree he liked it and is looking forward to trying other dishes on their menu. We had a very nice conversation with both the general manager and the owner. We look very forward to having more date nights here in the future!“

“Love this place. It’s definitely one of the better restaurants/bars in the area. Not like some other restaurants in the area, that charge you a percentage to use your CC. Not only that one particular owner takes tip money away from waitresses because you used your CC. Could you imagine the owner taking tip money away, because a customer used a credit card. Sad for those other restaurants. This place is honest and friendly.“

“Employees steal from customers and the owner has no accountability. (long story short) My friends and I would frequent Gees often but unfortunately we will never be back. We ate dinner there, paid the tab, tipped well and unfortunately I left my wallet on the bar top (my fault) just for the employees to help themselves to the remainder of the cash that was left in it. What a joke.“

“Beautiful venue with a view, great staff and service, tasty food. Had a great time at a line dancing event there with Debbie and Beyond the Line, hope to be back soon!“

“Best place in town. I love the staff and the food selections are amazing. The banquet hall upstairs is awesome. Huge room. Lost of space and reasonably priced. You also get your own private bartender. These people always go above and beyond for their guests.“

“It was an incredibly hot sunny day, my partner and I were looking for a dining experience when we came across Biergarten. I am absolutely blown away and all expectations were incredibly exceeded. They have a plethora of options including the bison burger, pulled pork, kids menu and much more. We decided to go with the tacos and tried each of every kind. Our absolute favorite was the Mahi Mahi tacos. Perfect blend of Mahi, Pineapple Salsa, and other ingredients. All balanced perfectly. The chicken taco was also incredibly delicious. Incredibly simple and traditional, however tasted extremely phenomenal. The pork taco and steak tacos were also very tasty. However the Chicken and Mahi are my personal recommendation. Our waitress (apologies for forgetting your name) a young woman, tan complexion. Was incredibly friendly, attentive and interactive and made our dining experience even more of a pleasure. Incredibly delicious, and cozy. I would recommend and return to this establishment 1000%!“

“We decided to go to Charlie’s to listen to music on a Sunday afternoon. Headed straight out to where the band was playing. Inside was about 15 people watching soccer and baseball games and drinking/eating. A server took an order from a table near us, not acknowledging us. About 10 people outside. After ten minutes I went inside asked for a menu and ordered two drinks. She told me someone would be out to take order for food. Another ten minutes went by. I went back in and ordered. There were at least four staff members inside, It wasn’t that busy. Our drinks were good, food was good and music was nice.
It’s too bad the service was lacking , it didn’t have to be. If they were more attentive, people outside would have ordered more drinks because it was warm.“

“Jenn the bartender is great“

“This is one of the Best Diners I have been to. They treat their Staff and Customers with Respect and Priority. Food is always Consistent and Service is always Hospitable and Kind 😇Did I mention they make the best Buttermilk Pancakes I've ever had !“

“On October 23, 2023 we had a wonderful brunch at the George Inn the day after our son's wedding in the area for the guests. We had breakfast and lunch items on the buffet. Everything was fresh and delicious! Our hostess, Linda was fantastic. She made sure all or needs were met and the service was wonderful! Thank you George Inn and Linda for a great event!“

“Normally order regular pizza which is great but yesterday I ordered the Tuscany Chicken Pizza. It was amazing and the best pizza I’ve ever had! Try it- you won’t be disappointed“

“The chef is amazing and the staff is so friendly. We enjoy eating here often!! Love all the drink specials and desserts!!“

“Cozy lodge type atmosphere with beautiful views of the valley. Food was fantastic. We had the homemade bucatini with beef ragu. Yummmm. The grilled octopus was spicy and came over an arugula salad with a hint of acid from the vinegar in the dressing so delish.“