Frank and Patty's — Restaurant in Virginia Beach

At first, I was skeptical because of the wait, and I was not a huge fan of smash burgers. Frank and Patty's has since changed that. This place knocked it out of the park like Babe Ruth when it came to these amazing smash burgers. It was busy and now I see why!!!! We had roughly a 45-minute wait, but we were able to enjoy some cocktails while we waited, which was nice. The "Painkiller" was delicious and well made, and the presentation was beautiful in a tall, thin glass. Once seated, we were in the front row to watch the master work. The chef was one of the owners, which I found out later, and this man makes sure that every burger is cooked to perfection. At that time watching him work, I was thinking to myself I hope they pay this guy well because he was putting in "WORK"!!!! He placed every perfect ball of ground beef on the grill, patiently waiting for each one to reach the right temperature and then smashed them out with a hypnotizing technique of artisty, after the smash he added the onions to the burgers that needed them, when ready to flip under his constant observation, he flipped them then added cheese, then stacked the double patties up and each little masterpiece received a quick steam sauna under an aluminum dome with a small expertly placed shot of water from this craftsmans hand. To his right stood his trusty assistant, and she was buttering, toasting buns and installing all the fixings on each perfectly toasted buns as fast as she could, to get them to the chef where he placed each expertly cooked smash burgers on the bun. After the burgers were added, she took them back to her station and plated each one and topped with the coincided, perfectly toasted top bun. To his left was his other assistant preparing the hot dogs with their fixings, making deserts, and last but not least, frying up, in my opinion, the best French fries to ever pass through my lips. He pulled each perfectly cooked batch from the fryer, placed it into a large stainless steel bowl, added the seasonings, and gave it a couple loving tosses before plating each order of fries into their temporary shiny oval platter. I say temporary because once you ate one fry you are going to devour them until you are starring at the empty shiny vessel that they were delivered to you in, looking back at the reflection of a satisfied customer in yourself. Some of the fries received final toppings of chili and cheese. After completion, everything was brought to the waitresses window for delivery, but before being released, each order was inspected by another owner for quality and correctness. After that, the amazing waitstaff was bringing them to the tables as fast as possible. The wait staff was outstanding, doing their own part to keep this well-oiled oil machine running as smoothly as possible. The entire staff communicated beautifully to make sure every order was being completed as fast as possible. I know through my long drawn-out dialogue it may have slowed time in Your mind, but in the matter of just 30 minutes, I watched this impressive team cook at least 200 smash burgers. I was in the company of three of my favorite humans but was pulled away from the wonderful conversation watching these masters work. I know from previous experiences that when silence occurs during a meal, the food is causing the body's reaction to take a minute and enjoy the experience. There was a rambunctious group of gentlemen in the front corner of this establishment that was seated immediately before us. They were loud and possibly into their cups a little. Upon the waitress bringing them their food and each one taking a bite, you could of heard a pin drop, each man looking at one another in total disbelief at how much flavor was packed into each bite. Then it was time for our food to come, and we experienced the exact same reaction. We each ordered a different burger to our liking, and we're all blown away with how delicious every morsel was. We ordered one Norfork snap dog to share, an order of fries and an order of chili cheese fries. Do yourself a favor...

If I could come to Frank & Patty's every day, I would. This place blew me away hands down the best smash burgers I've ever had. Think In-N-Out vibes, but taken to the next level. The fries? Crispy, golden perfection (sorry In-N-Out, but these win by a mile). And don't even get me started on the drinks every sip was just as good as the bites.

We had the pleasure of meeting JD, one of the owners, and he was an absolute king so genuine and passionate about what they do. You can really feel the love in everything they serve.

We have tried the Oklahoma, The Mickey, The Spicy (my favorite) the F&P Fries (must try), the wedge salad, and banana pudding, all were phenomenal. That wedge salad was a total surprise hit so fresh, flavorful, and well-balanced. We were so impressed, we came back the very next day. That's how good it is.

Frank & Patty's isn't just a meal it's an experience. Run, don't walk.

Update!!

Listen… I may have discovered the greatest fry hack of all time, and I’m not gatekeeping.

Slide that spicy sauce on top of your fries. Not on the side. Not as a dip. Right on top. Trust me.

I don’t even know what the sauce is exactly—some kind of creamy, spicy magic—but once it hit those hot, crispy fries, it was over. The flavor? Next-level. The heat? Just enough to make you sit up straight but not enough to overpower. It’s the perfect bite every single time.

It’s not on the menu like that—I just did it. And honestly? I’m never going back. If I’m going to “waste carbs,” it’s going to be worth it. And this? Totally worth it.

Frank & Patty’s already crushes it with their smash burgers and iconic dogs, but this spicy fry combo? That’s my personal masterpiece. Try it once and...

I normally don’t write reviews, bad ones even less so. After Saturday evening’s dinner (pictured) left me severely disappointed in the quality of my chicken, I am now unfortunately writing a bad review.

First and foremost, the service has always been impeccable. Every single person I have interacted with has given me a positive experience and are in general awesome! 5 out of 5 stars for service.

Now the reason this is a 1-star review is because of the chicken strips. I have been to this spot multiple times for just the chicken strips specifically. It is the spot for me and my friends for food and to hang out. Two weeks prior to this review being written, I had ordered the hand-made chicken strips and they were absolutely amazing. However, upon yesterday’s dinner, I cannot in good conscience recommend this spot to my friends anymore.

I am not entirely sure why they changed the immaculate chicken strips out for Sysco-branded chicken strips that you can get frozen for cheap. I had nothing but praise for the original tenders, and I am really unsatisfied with the new ones. If this is a sign of the direction this food spot is taking, by swapping out quality ingredients in favor of cheaper, blander options, then it concerns me for the future of one of my favorite places to eat.

I deeply apologize for leaving only 1-star, but I cannot recommend this place for anyone who loves chicken strips anymore. I really hope that the old recipe will return, because if it does, I will...