Frankie's — Restaurant in California

Came here with my boring family and sat in the loft eating pizza and having dull conversation. Then a couple older couples came up to the loft and forced me to overhear even more dull conversation. I was about ready to jump out the little window they got up there. No fault of Frankie's, I suppose. Pizzas were good. Had me the whiskey something-or-other, #8 I believe, with goat cheese and jalapeño. 'Twas good, and the rest of my boring family enjoyed their boring pizzas as well, and my local pilsner suited me, too. But the best part of the experience was immediately afterward. Pacing around the Mendocino streets just outside of Frankie's, waiting for my boring family to void their bladders and bowels, I identified what may be my top three arch nemeses: Time, Rules, and the Desires/Demands of Others. I had wanted to follow an attractive gravel path down to the beach, but my boring family was worried about time, so it was forbidden, and I submitted. I had then wanted to consume Fish and Chips and Beer at the recommended pub in town, but my boring brother insisted we eat pizza for his burfday (his lactose intolerance, IBS, and presence on a road trip notwithstanding), and so I kowtowed to family demands, followed the tacit stick-with-the-family rule, and plod on to pizza town in spite of my own impulses and pizza-digestive issues. Sacrifice, they call it. But I do not wish to sacrifice myself any longer. Time, Rules, and the Desires/Demands of Others, these are the things that keep us from ourselves—from being ourselves, from knowing ourselves, and from loving ourselves, all of which go hand in hand and are crucial to the practice of freedom and the enjoyment of life. But the stymied man, who cannot assert himself over Time, Rules, and the Desires/Demands of Others, will not do as he wills, and so will not find himself in the places he otherwise would have gone, the experiences he otherwise could have had, the treasures he otherwise should have found. The stymied man will languish in anguish and lose himself to Time, Rules, and the Desires/Demands of Others. The crystal is this, dear friends:...

Really impressive options to be had throughout the bill of fair here, above and beyond the prima facie appearance as a humble, small town pizza joint. The pizzas are simple yet consistently cooked quickly and to perfection, and since the Mendocino Hotel shut down they also can lay claim to having the best salads in town. The Pesto Chicken on spinach greens with the handmade dressing and picked-from-the-garden jalapeño slices? chef's kiss

And don't forget the ice cream for dessert! It's from Cowlick's in Fort Bragg, and though the flavors are hit and miss, when they hit, it's a "Grand Slam into a non-adjacent ZIP code" -level result. If it's summertime and you like root beer, it's a crime against humanity not to get at least a pint of the Root Beer Float flavor, that stuff could put A&W into receivership if they only had wider distribution. All other seasons you've got the world-class chocolate ice cream as a fallback, should none of the others tickle your fancy, so shame on you if you leave without getting your daily dose of calcium first.

I know most people are in Mendocino to overpay for everything and have a bunch of experiences that involve people in starched white shirts describing tasting menus with a bunch of French loan words, but keep in mind that those of us who live here like to eat well too, and, well, Frankie's is always busy for...

We were excited to try Frankie’s, given its reputation and charming setting. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t quite meet our expectations.

The small pizza we ordered had a soggy center, and the crust lacked flavor and seemed undercooked. It’s possible that the larger sizes fare better, but this one missed the mark. The Mediterranean salad was fine but nothing particularly memorable.

On the positive side, the ice cream was enjoyable. They offer unique flavors like candy cap mushroom, which was surprisingly good. The selection is limited, but it’s a nice treat, especially considering the scarcity of late-night dessert options in Mendocino.

The staff was friendly, and we only waited about 15 minutes, which was reasonable. While we appreciate the community vibe and the effort to provide diverse options, the food quality left us wanting more. Given the rave reviews, perhaps we caught them on an off day, but based on this visit, we can’t justify a...