Franklin Social Kitchen & Bar

3.8

151 Reviews

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 7 times today

Good for special occasions
Charming
Good for groups

Franklin Social, at the Renaissance Hotel Philadelphia Downtown, serves up contemporary American dining in the heart of Philadelphia's Old City Historic District.
Gather with friends, family and colleagues, as Ben Franklin frequently did in his time – He was quite the entertainer didn’t you know and enjoy a meal showcasing an attitude that's all Philly. Join us for a craft beer from around the corner, or an award-winning wine from around the world.
Whether you're craving a quick bite or full meal, Franklin Social will bring you the best products and flavors from around the region to entice your taste buds. All of this Philly flair is brought to you by a friendly and engaging team that should make you feel right at home. Franklin Social allows you to take part in a piece of American history, while creating a piece of your own history all in a vibrant, welcoming environment.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary American, American
Hours of operation
Sat, Sun 7:00 am–12:00 pm Breakfast Mon–Fri 6:30 am–12:00 pm Lunch Daily 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Phone number
(215) 931-4260
Website
https://www.franklinsocialphilly.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
John A. Arney III
Catering
Host Your Private Event at Franklin Social! Ben Franklin used to hold Community dinners for Americans living in Paris back in the day. Franklin social offers private space, including a lobby level lounge area. We can accommodate 12-100 guests and have several menus to choose from and are happy to customize menus with optional wine pairing from our extensive wine list or reserve list. Seasonal Menu changes may occur, so our team will provide current menus at your request. For Private dining and event inquiries, please contact fill out the form below or call 215.931.4260
Private party facilities
Host Your Private Event at Franklin Social! Ben Franklin used to hold Community dinners for Americans living in Paris back in the day. Franklin social offers private space, including a lobby level lounge area. We can accommodate 12-100 guests and have several menus to choose from and are happy to customize menus with optional wine pairing from our extensive wine list or reserve list. Seasonal Menu changes may occur, so our team will provide current menus at your request. For Private dining and event inquiries, please contact fill out the form below or call 215.931.4260

Location
401 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Neighborhood
Old City
Cross street
4th and Chestnut
Parking details
Valet
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Offers

Thanksgiving Day Menu
Nov 28, 2024 only
$45 Prix Fixe Menu Available 12pm-6pm on Thanksgiving Day
Social Hour at Franklin
Multiple dates available
Sun - Sat - 12:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Sundays-Thursdays 12pm-4pm $4 Domestics, $5 Imports and Draft Beer $8 Wine $10 Well Drinks

Continental$13.00
coffee or juice, fresh seasonal fruit, choice of pastry, bagel or toast
Parfait$12.00
greek yogurt, granola, mixed berries
Oatmeal$15.00
brown sugar, dried apricots and cranberries, candied walnuts
Avocado Toast$16.00
roma tomato, pickled onion
Veggie Tacos$16.00
egg whites, goat cheese, peppers, spinach, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms

Breakfast-wit-a twist

Philly Benedict$19.00
poached egg, shaved beef, cheese sauce, breakfast potatoes | 19

Classics

Build an Omelet$19.00
A choice of one meat, one vegetable, and one cheese. Served with breakfast potatoes and choice of toast

What 151 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

3.8

3.8 based on recent ratings

3.7Food
4.1Service
3.8Ambience
3.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Philadelphia County
Healthy
Philadelphia
Healthy
Philadelphia
Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Franklin Social Kitchen & Bar offers "creative and well-prepared food" complemented by a "friendly, quick, and thorough" staff. Standout dishes include the burrata salad and mushroom soup. The venue provides a charming setting, making it a "strongly recommended" spot for lunch or an informal dinner in Philadelphia's Old City area.

151 Reviews

J
Jake
Philadelphia
6 reviews
2.0
6 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 1
Service was lovely. Food was "OK". Drinks were NOT GOOD and dessert was also just about ok. For the price there are FAR better places in Philly downtown
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C
Carolina
Philadelphia
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 2
This restaurant is a hotel restaurant. I am not judging it for that, however when checking in to be seated, the hostess stand was unclear and we were left waiting for some time before acknowledged. We were running 15 minutes late for my 11:30AM reservation and was told upon arrival that they wouldn't be only serving lunch. A bit disappointing since I scheduled it to have brunch. The food was solid and the service was good given 1) the cards were stacked against her and 2) she was one of TWO servers for a fair sized restaurant.
Franklin Social Kitchen & BarResponded 6 days ago
Hello Carolina, We apologize that this most recent experience fell below our level of service. We have shared this feedback with our team, and we would love an opportunity to create a better experience for you in the future.
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S
Steven
New York City
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on November 1, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
There was nothing terrible but there was nothing great either. We knew going in that there was a small selection. The food was OK. The service was adequate but it was clear to us that our waitress was inexperienced. The setting was also nothing special.
Franklin Social Kitchen & BarResponded 6 days ago
Hello Steven, We apologize that this most recent experience fell below our level of service. We have shared this feedback with our team, and we would love an opportunity to create a better experience for you in the future.
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a
alan
Los Angeles
141 reviews
4.0
141 reviews
Dined on October 31, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
wonderful servers and great attention was paid to our change orders! Mushroom soup was superior!
Franklin Social Kitchen & BarResponded 6 days ago
Hello Alan, Thank you so much for taking your time to leave us a review! We hope to see you again in the future.
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E
Elissa
Philadelphia
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 12, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Excellent waitstaff but mediocre otherwise. Hesitate to recommend.
Franklin Social Kitchen & BarResponded 6 days ago
Hello Elissa, We apologize that this most recent experience fell below our level of service. We have shared this feedback with our team, and we would love an opportunity to create a better experience for you in the future.
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M
Michael
Philadelphia
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 20, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Was impressed with the ambience, service, and food! ONLY disappointment for me was the French Onion Soup! SOGGY, COLD, and cheese tasted FUNNY! Should've SENT it BACK!!
Franklin Social Kitchen & BarResponded on October 1, 2024
Hello Michael, Thank you so much for providing us some insight on your experience with us. We apologize that this was not a 5-star experience for you. We have shared this feedback with our team, and we hope we can see you again in the future.
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R
Roger
Philadelphia
11 reviews
3.0
11 reviews
Dined on September 20, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
While the service was fine, we found the food to be underwhelming and the drinks expensive and not filled to the brim. If you’re going to charge $18.00 plus tax and tip for a martini, it should be filled properly. Additionally, even though we placed our drink order when we sat down, the food started arriving before we received our drinks. A “sustainable fee” of 1% was added to our bill. When we asked the waitress about it, she was unsure and had to check with the manager, who did not come out to explain. She informed us that the fee could be removed if requested by the customer, but we were left wondering why it was added in the first place. This fee, though small, along with the food and drinks, left a negative impression. As locals, we are always looking for great places to dine. We would consider returning when we see some positive reviews.
Franklin Social Kitchen & BarResponded on October 1, 2024
Hello Roger, We appreciate you taking the time to review our establishment. We are very sorry that this visit was not a 5 stars experience. We have shared the feedback to our team, and hope we are able to see you again in the future. We apologies for the confusion on the sustainability charge, we wish we had an opportunity to explain in person. This charge was put in place, to help maintain a sustainable kitchen with all eco-friendly recyclable products, and locally sourced vendors and produce. 1% makes a big impact in positive purchases for the environment and community. As always, we do give the option to opt out of this support. Thank you again for taking the time to review the Franklin Social Kindly, Loreal Dechoudens, Director of F+B
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N
Nancy
New Orleans
86 reviews
vip
4.0
86 reviews
Dined on September 18, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Our server was polite and willing to offer opinions. The burrata salad was excellent, as were the veggies that accompanied the salmon. The featured Restaurant Week rye drink was very good. The only food negative was the salmon, which was plain (no discernible seasoning) and overcooked. Atmosphere was generic upscale city hotel restaurant. We are locals, and there are many area restaurants from which to choose, so bottom line: we won’t be regulars here, but this was a good experience.
Franklin Social Kitchen & BarResponded on October 1, 2024
Hello Nancy, Thank you so much for providing us some insight on your experience with us. We apologize that this was not a 5-star experience for you. We have shared this feedback with our team, and we hope we can see you again in the future.
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N
Nicholas
Oxford
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 17, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
Very mediocre food, not an enjoyable experience and poor value for money.
Franklin Social Kitchen & BarResponded on October 1, 2024
Hello Nicholas, Thank you so much for providing us some insight on your experience with us. We apologize that this was not a 5-star experience for you. We have shared this feedback with our team, and we hope we can see you again in the future.
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R
Rachel
Philadelphia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 11, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
The burrata appetizer was fantastic. The prime rib sandwich was good but smaller than I expected for the money (in terms of filling/amount of meat, but the quality was great).
Franklin Social Kitchen & BarResponded on October 1, 2024
Hello Rachel, Thank you for your 5 star review, we hope to see you again soon!
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FAQs

Franklin Social Kitchen & Bar offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (215) 931-4260.

Franklin Social Kitchen & Bar is rated 3.8 stars by 151 OpenTable diners.

Franklin Social Kitchen & Bar does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 7 times today