Frank's Restaurant — Restaurant in New Orleans

That time where we strolled through the town reading window posted menus thinking to ourselves, "let's skip reviews and play it by chance, what could possible go wrong?" Yeah that was this weekend and this place ruined that for us, completely.

I play life by chance and have really got home runs that way, but this time I don't know where I should start. We walked up to the outside and what appeared to be an owner or manager greatest us and started rattling off specials. We decide to try it out and head inside.

Our "waitress" sat us down and never once said a word to my wife. I said I would like to try that special on the BBQ shrimp and surprise me with an entre y'all are known for. She smiles and says I'm getting the snapper plate.

The shrimp flavor was top notch but they were severely overcooked. Very difficult to peel and over all a mess. The main course set me up to be very excited. Man I was crushed. The shrimp in this plate tasted delightful of butter and clearly overcooked, but flavor was on. The pasta was good, but dang the fish...

Apparently I got Red Snapper. It may have been Red Fish, wasn't paying that close of attention. Either way i had to clarify what I ordered later because I couldn't tell if it was veal or fish. Seriously. It was heavily coated in seasoning and then pressed flat for long enough that the first would not pull the flakes off as designed.

Total waste. So I called for the bill and ended this nightmare. Ready for the second to best part? The "waitress" comes up and says you sure you don't want to finish this or take it with you? When I declined she just walked away in true shock.

The best part? By now we have read the reviews, made the decision to just leave and mark a 10% tip to avoid an issue and bail. I get the bill. $83 with an added 18% tip built in?! What in the actual hell? I live in tourist Central and that's only added on peak times or large parties, neither of which were the case here.

Avoid this place. Just keep walking and go anywhere else. The bread in the pic smelled burnt, the food was terrible and the service was trash. The best part was how entertained I was watching what appeared to be the owner hootin and hollering with his pals about the news and the crowds outside. Unprofessional, but I needed something to do while they overcooked...

I can't think of a single reason to eat at Frank's, since there are plenty of fine restaurants nearby that do not have the issues Frank's does. The large amount of 1-star reviews seems to confirm my opinion.

I ordered only half a muffuletta, and experienced these issues:

My check totaled $19.12, but after I gave them my credit card and they returned it with a new check for me to write the tip amount on, the total had increased to $71 or so, even though my name and card info were all on the new check (i.e., I didn't receive someone else's check). The staff corrected this quickly after I pointed it out to them, but it's still a disturbing oversight that could be very costly to patrons who aren't paying enough attention. I'd never seen anything like this before.

After I asked for a water, I was given a small, plastic bottle of water which I would later learn costs $2.00. It's not that big a deal financially, but I think it's really dishonest that Frank's didn't give me a heads up about the water not being complimentary, which was warranted since the overwhelming majority of restaurants will give you a complimentary glass of water when you order water while seated at a table.

There was a hidden olive pit in my muffuletta, which I discovered by biting into it. Thankfully, I didn't bite that hard.

The entire time I was there, some guy who I assume was the owner was ordering alcohol, berating the staff, vocalizing his desire to sell the restaurant, and swearing profusely (he seemed especially fond of saying a very popular swear that starts with "mother"). It was not a great atmosphere.

There were some positive things that I have to give Frank's credit for, though:

The food came out very fast.

The food was quite good, although this was the only muffuletta I've ever had, so maybe my standards are off.

I realized after I got home that $19.12 for a half muffuletta and a water seemed too high, given that the restaurant's new online menu lists the half muffuletta price as $12.95, so I emailed Frank to let him know my concern, and he got back to me in less than a day with an image of the receipt, and explained that the half muffuletta costs $14.50 now, which I do appreciate. That price increase, plus the inclusion of a non-cash adjustment, explains the...

Frank’s Restaurant on Decatur Street has been slinging muffulettas for half a century, and buddy, they’ve damn near perfected the thing.

You walk in, and it smells like history—warm bread, briny olives, and the kind of garlic that could ward off a whole coven of French Quarter vampires. It’s been a family operation since Frank Gagliano Sr. set up shop in 1965, and they still run it like they’ve got something to prove, which, let’s be honest, they really don’t. They’ve already won.

Now, the muffuletta at Frank’s? It’s the classic Italian sandwich you know, but then they toast the damn thing, which is like taking a Cadillac and strapping a jet engine to the back.

Genoa salami, ham, Swiss, provolone, and that olive salad—that punchy, tangy, garlic-heavy magic—but when it’s all melted together under a crispy, golden brown hunk of Sicilian sesame bread, it just hits different. Warm cheese pulling apart, the oils from the meat soaking just right into the crust, the olives giving that briny slap—it’s a full-body experience, and you’ll walk away feeling like you’ve done something important.

And you have, because at any given moment, Frank’s is cranking out up to 1,200 of these beauties a week. That’s a lot of toasted dreams.

And don’t sleep on the rest of the menu. Frank Jr., who actually went to culinary school instead of just inheriting the apron, added some New Orleans soul to the operation—seafood, Cajun spices, and a gumbo that’s been taking home awards like it’s gunning for an EGOT. But let’s get one thing straight: you’re here for the muffuletta.

Oh, and I got the cannoli, because of course I did. I love cannoli. And this one? Crunchy shell, smooth ricotta, that little hit of citrus—like getting a hug from a Sicilian grandma who smells like espresso and old leather.

I was reading some of these reviews where people were bitching about the service. Let me reassure you Frank’s has great service it’s just that this place is old school New Orleanian and what you might think is gruff is just how some of us are. We don’t mean nothing by it. The service is super quick and attentive.

So next time you’re wandering Decatur, staring down the golden statue of St. Joan, wondering where to eat, just go to Frank’s. That toasted muffuletta? That’s the...