Frankie & Benny's — Restaurant in London

I am absolutely appalled at having to write this review because I’ve always had the most wonderful experiences with staff while taking my family out for dinner.

We booked a table for four on Saturday night at 8.30pm. The restaurant was all but empty. Maybe 5 tables of small families and couples.

After a short while the server approached us for a drinks order. I ordered gin (after enquiring about the variety), soda & a dash of lime (I later discovered I was charged £1.50 for this.)

Then another member of my family asked what whiskies they have to be met with “what would be classed as whisky?”

Eventually, our drinks came up. The whiskies in a short tumbler, the glass of water in a lovely textured glass. My gin? Oh it arrived in a Coca Cola glass - I mistakenly swapped my glass for the glass of water because on what planet is alcohol served in a soft drink glass?!

I asked the server if I could possibly have my gin in a gin glass or thereabouts?

Several minutes later after being stared at by the bar server and I was as produced with a reasonable compromise of a wine glass shaped cocktail glass.

Fast forward to the food - now bear in mind when we walked in we were asked about allergies and we said no allergies but there’s a dairy intolerance - the allergy part on the receipt said YES - so they were aware of the allergy.

Said persons food came smothered in cheese so we asked them to remake it without and that appeared in about 2 minutes.

I also ordered a garlic pizza to share which actually arrived with a small chunk of meat on top - so they remade that for us.

I am aware the restaurant closes at 10pm and staff need to clear up etc but eating my dinner listening to the vacuum cleaner going off wasn’t amazing. The staff all looked miserable to be there (fair enough it’s 10pm Saturday night)

Nobody knew what they were doing - even down to asking for the arrabbiata, but if it could be made pomodoro instead.

Now again, I know we’re not in Italy but we used to frequent this restaurant and the staff were all experienced and competent.

There wasn’t any floor staff I would consider that last night.

When it came to paying, the server said literally nothing as I held my card out for him to take (as is usual). He ignored me and put the card reader on the table in front of me.

£155 our meal plus 2 rounds of drinks came to.

Last night was a sponteneous trip out to our favourite, familiar restaurant and now we’ve scrubbed it off our list completely.

All of us wish we hadn’t bothered leaving the house as the service and attitude was so unwelcoming and cold.

We will not be visiting again.

I gave the food 2* because despite the issues, once rectified,...

Unfortunately my visit to Frankie and Benny’s on the 15th of September 2018 didn’t live to the standards I expect from the restaurant chain.

We arrived on a Saturday to a quiet restaurant filled with mostly families. We waited for a few minutes in front of apparently busy staff ignoring us whilst we pondered at the entrance of this half empty restaurant whether we would ever be served. Eventually a downcast, dour and frumpy waitress came up and offered us a seat in the back.

We went with appetisers and a main course after perusing the menu. Staff took quite a while to get to us. Overworked or lazy? I’m not sure. I ordered the chicken skewers as an appetizer. When it came I was astonished at how tiny they looked compared to the photo on the menu. I took a bite and was not happy, what did I order? Rough rubbery chicken. I looked at my friends crispy chicken bites. They were twice the size with no skewer stick going through. Hungry I ate my food.

Eventually some twenty minutes later, the same dour waitress came back with my double bacon beef burger and chips and flopped them onto the table. At last a proper meal! Or at least I thought that would be the case. Where was the chips! A measly twenty small fries with by burger? What kind of joint is this? I thought I was in for a feast, not a famine. They felt hard and lukewarm. Where they sitting on the counter for an ungodly amount of time?

The two stars I’m giving this review are mainly down to the burger which was in fact cooked properly with the right amount of beef, bacon, cheese and bun. I can’t discount in that chef was somewhat competent in that he cooked this well.

You can see from the meal I took, it was not a glorious filled to brim with Frankie and Benny goodness.

After eating the meal I looked to my friend and felt annoyed I had dragged him to this less than adequate diner. He assured me we learn from our mistakes. We paid for our meal (when it comes to money, all of sudden the staff are super quick!) and got up to leave. I looked around as I left - no one looked happy, not the staff, not the fellow customer and not me. Downcast, like the rest I left and promised my friend we wouldn’t come back. A promise I...

When l went here about a year ago it was good unfortunately my experience doesn't make me want to return. My burgers were burnt same with the bacon no mushrooms/lettuce. I tried to eat a bit had to return it.

The second lot were a bit better so peppery l cannot eat it. They did give me extra fries which were ok.

I get to check for allergies. I know what l can eat.

I did this as a treat for my family. Having had the same meal before liked it.

We went back on Sunday 29th September, 2025, how l wished that we had not sunce I had the worst food experience ever.

I asked for gluten free pasta no sauce We'd already explained that l had gluten, milk allergies l couldn't tolerate spice certainly not alone here. I also said can l have the pasta soft as my throat sore.

As l started eating l noticed little red chillies understand pasta so hungry my mouth was burning. I asked for it to be redone. They basically gave me same plate back minis chillis it doesn't remove the taste of the chillies, what if l'd had a bad reaction to them?

I asked a refund just ignored. I literally had nothing to eat we're about to see a movie.

I checked if they had dairy free shakes Ice cream, yes l got 2 scoops of ice cream which was £9.

I choose this place for us l definitely wouldn't reccomend it they blust your eardrums whenever its...