Franklin Cape Ann — Restaurant in Gloucester

We always loved the South End location of Franklin. The Gloucester spot was actually our first meal out after the pandemic, I’ve always appreciated how beautifully designed and built it is.

Unfortunately, this visit was a rough outing.

Service was inconsistent. While our main server was kind and tried her best, there were a number of issues. We had our kids with us, which can be challenging, so we specifically asked for everything to come out ASAP, no coursing. They don’t have a kids’ menu, which was surprising, but we made do with custom orders. Still, food came out late and disorganized. Identical dishes were served more than five minutes apart—twice. One child’s meal came out first, as it should, but the second never arrived until we pressed for it, and by then we were already done. We had to take it to go, leaving our three-year-old hungry at the table.

When we asked about the staggered entrées and the missing child’s meal, we were told the kitchen thought some were meant as appetizers and others as mains—directly contradicting our request not to be coursed.

The food runners also had a trainee with them. While training is expected, the trainer loudly pointed out each seat and person as they passed, which disrupted the meal. It would have been better to quietly let the table know someone was in training and show more discretion. To make matters worse, the trainee came across as rude.

The food, was fine overall. The steamed dumplings were under-seasoned, but otherwise there were no major complaints, though nothing really stood out either.

All in all, this visit was disappointing. Between the kitchen delays, the miscommunication, and the service issues, it felt like a miss from a place we...

For years, the Franklin Cape Ann in Gloucester has been a staple of our local dining choices. We love the warm, inviting atmosphere; the friendly, attentive staff; the great drinks, and of course the fabulous fresh food!!!

We were craving all of that, and last night’s dinner at the Franklin did not disappoint.

We were seated in a cozy booth, and immediately water was brought to the table, along with their fresh bread and their fabulous hummus dip. Yum!!! Our waitress Colleen, is quite possibly my favorite person ever! She is so incredibly attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable of the menu, specials, and drinks… that I let her pick out our wine, and my entree. I told her what I was craving, and she chose perfectly.

The wine was so good we ordered a bottle, the octopus appetizer was cooked perfectly, with a nice grilled flavor. My husband got the incredibly fresh off the boat seared pepper crusted tuna special. I was torn, and wanted the meat to his surf, so I got the braised beef, and oh my goodness… we couldn’t decide which was better, the surf or the turf…. Sadly, we left no room for dessert, and that was a shame as their desserts are fabulous and made in the restaurant.

Another thing we love is that they have a 2nd floor for busier nights, and bigger parties, along with a cozy bar on both floors to grab a drink, or meal if no table is available.

I highly recommend the Franklin if you are looking to impress a date, have a special dinner party, or just want to have a casual dinner, you will not be disappointed, but try to save room...

My wife and I dropped in early for dinner on a Tuesday night, and were lucky to get a table. (Make reservations.) The main room is smallish, but even when it was busy, it wasn't super noisy. In fact, there was live music - a jazz duo of string bass and clarinet - that was amazing.

I had their special Manhattan, which was good but not to my liking. We split the arugula salad, which was tasty. I loved the morsel of fried goat cheese.

We also split a bowl if the fish chowder, which was delicious. The fish chunks were substantial, and the over all flavor was subtle, with a touch of heat (maybe white pepper?). I would order this.

For dinner, my wife ordered the pan seared cod, which was concealed between a generous portion of mashed potatoes and a pile of oyster mushrooms on top. The mushrooms were especially good, and basically stole the show (over the cod).

I had the hanger steak and truffle fries. Id probably swap the fries for a different side, but the steak itself was delicious. It had substantial bark/sear and was still very tender.

All in all, we had a great meal. The food was delicious ans the vibe...