Frankie's Taste of Italy — Restaurant in Town of Webb

I’d rather eat a wet sock covered in dish soap than ever set foot in this "Italian" place again. You know it’s bad when your first thought after a bite is, I think actual dog shit would taste better. And trust me, I've eaten some questionable things in my life, but this place takes the cake—and then dumps it in a trash can.

Let me start with the bread. You’d think an Italian joint would at least get that right, right? Wrong. They served us what could only be described as stale packing foam, complete with the chewiness of an old dog toy. Honestly, I thought I chipped a tooth, but I was too scared to look because, by that point, I was expecting the food to send me to the ER.

Next up was the salad. I didn’t even know lettuce could look sad, but here we are. Wilted, brown-edged leaves covered in a thick glob of dressing that could easily be mistaken for motor oil. And those tomatoes? You could use them as hockey pucks. They had less flavor than an airport sandwich and probably saw better days sometime during the Obama administration.

Now, onto the main courses—because this is where things really took a nosedive. The spaghetti was more like a soggy mess of worms, swimming in what can only be described as canned tomato paste mixed with regret. I’ve had microwaved TV dinners that were more appetizing. The meatballs, if you can even call them that, tasted like they were made of shredded cardboard held together by disappointment. I’d rather chew on an old shoe, to be honest.

My friend ordered fungi, and I swear, it was like a crime scene on a plate. Layer after layer of overcooked pasta and what I can only assume was rubber masquerading as cheese. I’ve had better fungi from a gas station freezer. We asked the server if this was their "special recipe," and they looked at us like we had just insulted their grandma. Maybe we did, but honestly, Grandma needs to stop cooking.

And dessert? Don’t even get me started on the tiramisu. What I expected: a fluffy, coffee-soaked masterpiece that melts in your mouth. What I got: a soggy sponge that tasted like burnt espresso and sadness. At this point, I was more interested in eating my napkin than finishing the meal.

Look, I get it. Not every restaurant is going to be a Michelin-starred masterpiece. But this place? This place should be shut down and replaced by a dog park. At least then the food on the ground would be an improvement.

In conclusion: if you’re ever in Old Forge and thinking of trying this place, just go home and boil some pasta in water without salt—it’ll taste better, and you’ll save...

Why did I stop at this place for food when I can get the best Italian food anytime? Listen, my wife is Italian from East Utica and I've been eating her food, her mother's food, her aunt's food, her grandmother's food and eaten at all the little Italian restaurants in the neighborhood for over 25 years and I can tell you that Frankie's is legit East Utica Italian eats. A gem you wouldn't expect in the ADK.

The service here is first class amazing, personable, courteous, and not rushing us or pushy at all. We had interaction with 6 different people, including Frankie himself, for some level of service during the night. The whole experience was well paced.

The food is incredible and authentic Italian. They use Cora products which are imported from Italy through Casa Imports in Utica. The greens are some of the best I've ever had. The New England clam chowder is a generous portion, tastes great, and the clams large and tender, not chewy. The side salad comes with a house balsamic vinaigrette you shake & pour yourself. The Anna Riggies are like nothing I've had before with ground sausage & mushrooms in a light riggie sauce, so delicious. The zuppa de pesce a mix of perfectly cooked large size shrimp, scallops, calamari, mussels, and clams in a light red broth over spaghetti. The pasta in both dishes cooked perfect al dente.

Drinks were unique. I don't usually like sangria as it typically is too sweet. Frankie's family recipe chianti sangria is the best I've ever had. The Italian apple martini is so smooth. The best of all is the bourbon collection. Walk downstairs as you must see the bourbon wall. They have a huge selection, reportedly the largest in NY outside of NYC. They offer a flight tasting which I went with the Knob Creek which included a 100 proof 9 year small batch, a 120 proof 9 year single barrel, and a 90 proof maple version. Served on a custom platter with a low ball glass of water to cleanse between tasting.

Save room for the dessert. The gelato is homemade and the best gelato my wife & I have ever had, and all the better it was served by Frankie. The bread pudding though is a must have and the best I've ever eaten.

Lastly, as a testament to the character of this establishment and primarily of Frankie himself, it was not just raining, but it was pouring and Frankie got an umbrella from the closet and gave it to us, not just to borrow, but he said keep it in case we needed it elsewhere that night. Love...

I have been having dinner at Frankie’s for years, and I’m sorry to say that this time will be the last. My group had reservations for 7:00 on a Tuesday night. I gave the hostess the last name and she rudely said, “Try again?” When we figured out the reservation was under a first name, she told us our tables weren’t ready. I would characterize her as gruff and surly, and she set the tone for what would be a long and frustrating dining experience. We waited about 15 minutes before being seated. I immediately noticed that the tables didn’t have tablecloths, and each place was set with cheap paper napkins. A restaurant that charges $25 for most entrees needs a linen service, which Frankie’s, apparently, doesn’t have anymore. The bread was cold and firm. The salads were fine. After the salad plates were cleared, the waitress left us sitting for a very long time before telling us she was sorry our entrees weren’t ready yet. Granted, the restaurant was busy, but we felt she could have been more communicative and sympathetic. Finally, at 8:30, an hour and a half after our reservation, the entrees arrived. The food was mediocre, at best. In my opinion, due to the excessive wait, someone should have offered a modest discount, free ice cream, anything. The hostess or manager on duty could’ve said something. Rather, a weak “I’m sorry” from the waitress was the only offering. All I can figure is that ownership has changed. The building is the same, the name is the same, but the experience and the food paled in comparison to what we have previously found to be very competent and satisfactory. Future customers, if you’re planning on trying Frankie’s in hopes that it’ll be as good as you remember it being, don’t be surprised if you get the feeling that Frankie’s isn’t the place you remember. This restaurant just lost the business...