Review Franklin Restaurant Bar - Hobart

Unexpectedly impressed by this restaurant - was not disappointed by a single dish. The proteins in particular were excellent. The quail and lamb were some of the best I've had. Very reasonably priced for food at this calibre. Great local wines and craft beers too. Not to be missed in Hobart.

The food and service was immaculate. We experienced the 8 (or 9) course banquet that was faultless. It was impossible to pick a favourite dish and the accompanying cocktails were exquisite. Our wait staff were friendly, efficient and very affable. Our food arrived quickly each time but with sufficient rest periods in between. Definitely one of the best restaurants in Tasmania. Looking forward to going again

Overall it’s very disappointed, no matter how good their food is.... It was our anniversary dinner, my husband had sent an email to the restaurant requesting for putting the wordings on the dessert but no response from them. Then once we arrived, we asked the white shirt waitress to help us reconfirming but she has never got back to us.... We tried their “feed me” option - AUS$180 for two persons, to be honest, it’s a bit overpriced, I was expecting more with this price... Food was nice in general and I like the chicken the most. To be honest, although I like the chicken a lot but I won’t come back again. Not good dining experience... There are more choices here, why would I come back to this again with such a “good” service and “good” price ? I am sure there are more to choose with this price. Also they just wanted to push you away once you have done your meal!!! NOT RECOMMENDED!!!

I really enjoyed dining at Franklin The food was excellent and the menu was innovative Looking at some of the other dishes in the review section, I am very glad we got the set menu we did which was more fish focussed. We did not like the vegetable in fish stew The staff were attentive but not very warm. The wine was a good selection and the bottle we shared was lovely

I had a fantastic dinner experience here about a month ago. I went with the "feed me" option - you'll get about nine or ten dishes in total (including desserts). Great food and awesome service. The industrial decor looks great too. I would definitely come back for more. Highly recommended.

Another highly praised restaurant which we checked out in Tasmania was Franklin restaurant in Hobart. We had booked for a late meal at the end of a busy day seeing the sights. The restaurants has large glass windows which are very visible from the street. The restaurant interior is paired back with concrete and industrial fittings, providing clean visual features. The open kitchen and bar provide the ability to watch what is going on. It is a busy restaurant but the staff are attentive. The ambience is buzzing and this makes for a great dining atmosphere. The drinks list includes craft beer, interesting wine options, including natural wine and there's also a mix of cocktails and craft spirits. The menu has a number of inviting options and was headed up with some exciting small bites. A must eat item is the scotch quail eggs. This tasty morsel has a crisp outer crust, a tasty mid layer of sobrasada and the yolk of the quail egg oozing out once cut into. The octopus and salt bush dumplings may not be the most appealing looking bite, however this was made up for by the texture and flavour. We were also provided some amazing complimentary bread. The mushroom dish was full of umami from the braised wakame and egg yolk sabayan. This was the tasiest dish of the evening. With the oyster mushrooms providing a meaty texture. Potatoes are certainly abundant in Hobart and were well put to use in the potato galette with an emulsion of huacatay, a Peruvian herb sourced locally on the tasman coast. This accompanied the main source of protein we ordered, the woodroasted littlewood lamb, served with braised almonds and pickled kohlrabi. This dish was very simple looking on the plate, however the flavour of the lamb was incredible and the almonds provided texture and the pickled kohlrabi cut through the richness of the lamb. Franklin is great place to enjoy a meal in Tasmania to savour some local produce and wash ot down with a quality drinks list.

What an awesome experience. A warm welcome set the tone right for the evening. Then a delicious twist on the martini got us settled. The menu is a bit different and uses some great local produce including abalone! We started with some in house bread and then had a scotch quail egg (with gooey centre), abalone skewers and some salami with (I think) Russian mustard. Then we had probably the most perfect dish I've had for a while. Wood smoked octopus served with wild herbs and currants. The octopus was perfectly cooked with a crunchy texture (cooked without being rubbery like it usually gets served) and the smoking was delicate and slowly built on the palate without ever getting overwhelming. We would go back for this dish alone! We then finished up mains with a delicately cooked lamb belly in whey brine which came with a mix of natural flowers and leaves ranging from a parsley type flavour to aniseed. This restaurant is in Hobart CBD so there's really no excuse not to visit this spot for an amazing culinary experience with excellent backup from the staff on the floor.

Everything we tried was really delicious , we definitely enjoyed our meal here. It was nice to see an open kitchen and have such a tasty meal in a non stuffy environment. Top notch!

They’re not kid friendly like they suggest, as they don’t provide high chairs.

Went for the first time yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was somewhat unique in that the menu was bespoke due to a fundraising event for the Australian bushfires which meant several different venues had banded together on the day, but the overall result was brilliant. The venue is fantastic as were the staff. <br/><br/>I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and look forward to heading back the next time I am in Hobart when it’s just business as usual.

You needn’t look further than the head chef who was like a puppeteer with her staff, the most organised and beautiful kitchen to watch in action. Every plate was at the highest possibly quality and flavour

We were really looking forward to franklin. <br/>Partly our lack of love for oysters and abalone which featured heavily on the menu (there’s only a sample menu before you head there) contributed to our limited choice. <br/>Add in a nut allergy and we were left with 3 items that tempted our taste buds. <br/>The romanesco was out of control delicious. <br/>The scotch quail egg was a hero snack for my husband.<br/>However the octopus was disappointing. <br/><br/>Appreciate these restaurants source fresh produce for the evening, a little more variety on the menu would have made this more enjoyable. <br/><br/>Respect the octopus and treat it with the love and care it deserves. <br/><br/>Wouldn’t recommend unless you love the polarising shell fish variety. <br/><br/>Staff were lovely mind you<br/><br/>Not so yummy.

Visiting from Sydney we are so glad we had this place recommended to us. The stand out dish was the potato and butter dessert. Every dish that came out was beautifully prepared and tasted amazing. Would love to come back!

I had high expectations for Franklin, probably too high. Most notably though was the service, the lady who serviced our table was brusque, sour and had zero sense of humor, her attitude set the pace for the evening and sadly everything went downhill from there. We had travelled through out Tassie for a week and marveled at the fresh oysters along the way, the oysters at franklin was where it ended, they were extremely fishy and left the table wondering how they got it wrong, the wallaby tartare and scotch quail eggs were the dishes of the night but also quite average in comparison to what we have eaten at other establishments, the other a la carte dishes to share were quite forgettable I think lamb cutlets and pork neck were mains, the roast Jerusalem artichoke dish was overcooked to the point it tasted like dry rubbery potato, the cocktails were boring and felt as though dessert wasn't even worth trying, Décor was nice though. More like 2.5 stars

We dined at Franklins and I have to say we were both bitterly disappointed with our experience.<br/>We did the “feed me” menu - to start things off our oysters hadn’t been shucked and still had the muscle attached to them, and we should have taken that as an indication of things to come.<br/>From there, the food was average - very much lacking any seasoning, from the butter right through to the mains. The particular stand out disgusting food was the cabbage dish - clearly one of their most ordered but was almost completely inedible (unseasoned, cabbage to seaweed ratio) The other courses were boring and the timing of the courses was completely out of line - my husband finished two glasses of wine between two separate courses (and we weren’t drinking that much!) The lamb dish was also cold - there is a difference between resting and leaving to get into that state.<br/>Finally, the dessert was terrible. The granita was bitter and completely inedible, and the other elements were again boring - but also stuck to the bottom of the plate because it had frozen!<br/>Overall, we were unimpressed with the state of the kitchen staff too. In my opinion, if you are promoting yourself as having an open kitchen and charging the prices you are, then you need to make sure your staff look presentable and have some sort of energy about them. The staff were as bland as all of the food we tasted. The wait staff also didn’t ask basic questions like whether we wanted to pair drinks, whether we wanted tea and coffee afterwards, and then left us for 15 minutes looking at a bill we didn’t want to pay because again the timing was a mess! Oh, and the icing on the cake - my wine glass had chips in it!<br/>My husband and I enjoy dining out and making the most of a restaurant experience, but this has left us feeling ripped off and disappointed.

Enjoyed some of the dishes, went for the tasting degustation. I have to say their cauliflower was divine!!! A must have also their octopus, favourite dish of the night. Would recommend dining here if you are ever in Hobart

One of the best meals both my partner and I have ever eaten. The char grilled oyster mushroom skewers were to die for and definitely the highlight of the meal. Coupled with premier service and a waitress who was down to earth and extremely accommodating. Will definitely be recommending to anyone who decides to take a trip to Hobart. Thank you Franklin!

I like the space here. Polished concrete used to great effect. I also like the open kitchen where everything is visible. The staff are good. The wine list is quite obscure and exorbitantly expensive. The food I had was quite average considering the hype of this place. Totally my mistake for not reading the menu well enough and ordering wallaby tartare. Not a fan of cold uncooked meat. Even so flavour was a bit lacking. Also the calamari dish was cold - calamari, mussels and a lack of anything very interesting - a bit one-dimensional and disappointing. However, the potato / salted caramel dessert was delicious.

A must to visit when in Hobart. Truely a great atmosphere. Walking distance from Grand Chancellor Hotel and most other cbd hotels. Upon arrival we had wine by the open fire. Cosy atmosphere. Friendly welcoming staff. The food was amazing, we had 5 courses with some local wines

With there being more options around this price point in Hobart, Franklin has not kept pace. The dishes were very average. The highlight for me would have been the octopus. The big let down was the potato. The service was terrible. A few tips - don’t sit the “bar” right in front of the fireplace. Waiting for our table felt like I was in hell with that heat. When you’re taking us to our table - take our drinks there. Don’t make it awkward because you can’t follow the conventions of other places. Try not to be smug. Many of the front of house staff had a chip on their shoulder. Don’t make me ask you for water. That should never happen, and yet it did, twice.

One of the most disappointing dining experiences I have ever experienced. I had booked for group of 11 people for a birthday, and had provided dietaries before arriving to which our waitress made a comment that we “should have chosen a different restaurant”. She was so rude, spoke down to everyone and didn’t listen. The food was so bland and tasteless definitely the worst dining experience in Hobart.

This was my second visit to Franklin and it is truly an example of how the Hobart food scene has taken leaps and bounds over the last 4 years. I couldn’t bypass the chicken parfait starter, absolutely delicious, smooth, savoury and light way to start a meal. There are a number of small bites and small dishes to share. The vegetable dishes were fresh and layered with flavours, the colours were vibrant and beautiful. The wine list is interesting with a great selection of sake which I would definitely recommend. Portion sizes are small so you will need several dishes to complete a meal. The interior is modern and spacious on both occasions I have sat at the enormous polished concrete bar. Though for groups there are some nice spaces dispersed throughout the open space. Definitely recommend for a special occasion with friends to share.

Booked dinner for two on a Saturday night. Lovely and warm welcome as we were escorted to our bar table. <br/>Unfortunately the rare Tasmanian heat wave did not help the fully concrete layout of the restaurant. Leaving most diners including us rather hot and uncomfortable throughout our dinner.<br/><br/>We decided to pick and chose multiple dishes rather than a feed me menu.<br/><br/>Starting with a few oysters from blackman’s bay that were rather average.<br/>Moving on to the oyster head with saltbush and bitter lemon purée that simply isn’t good, surprisingly the chef thinks this works which raises the question “are somethings at Franklin done just to be different without being delicious?”<br/><br/>Ordered a few aperitifs. The Martini was excellent however “their take” on a Negroni should be avoided at all costs. <br/><br/>The wine program at Franklin is short, interesting and dry with lots of focus on natural and biodynamic options. <br/><br/>We got into some larger plates, the dairy cow tartare was exceptional with the quality of the beef really shining through, unfortunately the dish was over seasoned.<br/><br/>We also tried the quail with oyster mushroom and spring onion oil: the quail served cold was perfectly cooked, absolutely faultlessly presented and completely one dimensional as the quail and the mushrooms were lost in each other and the spring onion not really coming to the party. <br/><br/>A few more larger plates were order, nothing to rave about.<br/><br/>Overall we where underwhelmed. Two hats seem a stretch however perhaps the profile of the chef is earning the additional points.

Another highly praised restaurant which we checked out in Tasmania was Franklin restaurant in Hobart. We had booked for a late meal at the end of a busy day seeing the sights. The restaurants has large glass windows which are very visible from the street. The restaurant interior is paired back with concrete and industrial fittings, providing clean visual features. The open kitchen and bar provide the ability to watch what is going on. It is a busy restaurant but the staff are attentive. The ambience is buzzing and this makes for a great dining atmosphere.

We managed to nab a booking for a late dinner here so most pleased about that. The restaurant is the creation of Analiese Gregory. Located close by to Franklin Square, this restaurant had a hip vibe about it. We had arrived early for our reservation so they advised us to take a seat at the casual seating area till our table was ready where we could order drinks whilst we waited. The waitstaff were all super friendly and accommodating. Anything questions we had they could answer quite easily.<br/><br/>Once we got seated at our table we were advised that the majority of the dishes were to share. Our waitress explained that the menu was divided into small bites, bigger bites, and larger dishes. <br/><br/>We started off with Chicken Liver Parfait With Yeast Crisp, Octopus Head And Saltbush Dumpling, and Scotch Quail Egg With Sobrasada. All the bites were delicious but the highlight for the table was the scotch egg. Lovely crunchy outside with a yummy meat coating in the middle, once cut it revealed a gooey yolk from the perfectly cooked quails egg. The complimentary bread and butter was lovely.<br/><br/>We then continued with Tunnel Hill Oyster Mushrooms With Braised Wakame And Egg Yolk Sabayon. The mushrooms were roasted and had an earthy toast that was very meaty in taste. The sabayon provides a lovely sauce to the mushrooms. <br/><br/>Our main meat dish was the Wood Roasted Littlewood Lamb. Juicy pink pieces of lamb were served with almonds and kohlrabi. It was a fantastic dish. We got the Potato Galette to accompany it and the dish was amazing. Layers of potato with a crisp top...yum! <br/><br/>Finished off with Cherry Kernel Custard. It was accompanied by fresh cherries and fig leaf granita. It was a well composed dish. Great textures and flavours like the creamy custard, the bite of the cherries and coolness of the granita.<br/><br/>Definitely worth a detour if in the city and make sure you reserve early as tables can get snapped up quickly.

Hobart has a lot of beautifully preserved architecture, and the heritage-listed, Argyle Street art deco exterior of Franklin Hobart is no exception. Prior to housing the Mercury newspaper’s printing press, the minimalist restaurant space was once a 1930s car dealership called City Motors. Today you’ll find it sleek, dark and angular, dominated in the light-filled front room by an austere polished concrete and metal bar. In the darkened rear, it has been softened with painted paling faux-walls, fifties-inspired furniture, and gauzy drapes that try to create some cosy lounge-room type nooks inside the industrial space. In the large open kitchen, centred around a wood-fire Scotch oven, you’ll find Analiese Gregory. You might recall Gregory’s cooking from her last Sydney venue, Bar Brosé, before she relocated to this island state. At Franklin her emphasis is showcasing...

We read some good reviews about this restaurant and went there for a birthday celebration. <br/><br/>To begin the night, we wanted to order a bottle of wine. It has never been so difficult to pick a wine. Apparently all the wines on the menu are biodynamic. The waitress told us that the Pinot Gris doesn’t taste like usual Pinot Gris. The Moscato is not the standard moscato. We tasted some and figured it’s easier to just order beers and cocktails. <br/><br/>We also waited for over 2 hours for the lamb dish when we were told it would take 45mins to cook. The lamb finally arrived and it was medium rare which shouldn’t take that long to cook! They might have forgotten our order...<br/><br/>The waitress had kindly arranged a special birthday dessert as a good gesture.

Really creative and adventurous dishes. We ordered the steak to share. It was tender but slightly too chewy. The lemon souffle was on the sour side.

We had the 8 course menu (“feed me”). The beef short rib was spectacular and the other dishes all very very good. Service fairly good too although one waitress spoke too quietly

An awesome experience! I loved sitting at the bar watching the chefs at work. The roasted littlewood lamb and the potato galette amongst the best dishes I’ve eaten. I’d happily cross bass strait to eat at Franklin again.

Overall good food, except the octopus head dumpling. It was flavorless and very strong oil taste. <br/>We paid for our food, waitress just took the money then left without saying anything. Seems a bit rude since we tipped as well.

Lovely night! I went on solo without booking on a Friday night but they still managed to get me a seat. I tried the abalone skewer, oysters, wood roasted octopus and the potato dessert.The food was amazing! Fresh and spot on. The highlight was definitely the dessert. I didn’t even have high expectation on that one but it totally blew me away. Thin crispy potato as the top layer with butterscotch cream and caramel sauce in between, smooth nice texture not overly sweet. Good wrap up for my Hobart stay:)

After a lot of research and deliberation about where to eat on our first night in Hobart we finally decided on Franklin. We were lucky that we got a reservation 2 night prior to dining. My recommendation would be to book maybe a week in advance just to be sure. We decided on ordering one of every dish on the menu rather than going the degustation option. I would say that I liked every dish. However I only loved 4. For me, the highlight of the night was the chicken pate. I could have eaten a whole plate of these. Prepare to want more than one each. The next best was the raw wallaby which was rich and delicious. The lamb followed closely after, it was simply cooked to perfection. The octopus main came in an admirable 4th being fresh, texturally beautiful and overall a very well balanced dish. Overall 4/5 stars, portion sizes are quite small. Be prepared to order a bit more than recommended.

This restaurant was lovely. The waiter was lovely too , loved the carrots they were so good ! The octopus yum as was the calamari ! Would highly recommend! I give it 4.5 as no one is perfect and the wines were a bit off but there is no 1/2 scores

Wow, This restaurant ticks every box!<br/>The ambiance complimented this well rounded menu which was so unique.<br/>The Shiraz was also a highlight which paired with my dinner very nicely. Plus our waitress was knowledgeable and very attentive! <br/>I cannot recommend this restaurant anymore! 11/10!<br/>

There is a skill to nuanced flavours, and Franklin achieves this effortlessly. From the minimalistic decor to the 'in vogue' open kitchen, this restaurant sends a clear message. Less is more, quality over quantity, and above all else - make sure you look good while doing it. <br/><br/>Every time I visit this restaurant, the simplistic menu reflects a quietly confident kitchen staff, and I'm never disappointed (even though I must admit, Franklin's parfait isn't my first choice in the long running argument of who in Hobart has the best parfait).<br/><br/>Franklin is a case study on how one might open a restaurant that is trendy without pandering to the masses and losing originality. They know what is cool, and you only have to step in to find out.

I got the last seat in the house at the bar on a busy Friday night. I had a few of the small dishes, everything came out quickly. Clever use of local ingredients. Service was friendly and efficient. Well done, thank you. Look forward to coming back.

My husband booked our anniversary dinner at this resto and believe me the experience was absolutely amazing. Since we are vegetarians, they printed a separate menu for us which had all the veggie options. Rather than going for separate dishes, we decided to share the meal so that we can try a lot of different options. Starting from the entrees to the desserts were mind blowing. My only problem was there was a chilli entree which was not up to the mark but really spicy. Other than that everything was spot on. This place is one of the best restaurants in Hobart - slightly in the expensive side though but worth it.<br/>Service - 5/5<br/>Ambience - 5/5<br/>Food - 4/5<br/>Value for Money - 4/5

How anyone can rate Franklin below four stars is beyond me! This was such an outstanding place to eat that we went on both our first and last days of our 10 day Tasmania road trip. Beautiful interior, and great to sit at the bar and watch the small team of chefs cook up a storm. <br/><br/>Our first experience was only slightly better than the second because of the Littlewood Lamb main dish that was on offer, simply out of this world. Pork was the only large meat dish on the menu the second time round, but was nonetheless so tasty. Love that the menu changes so frequently, and how experimental every dish is. Don’t go past the potato galette or the kingfish, which both seem to be regulars on the menu. Will definitely return if I go back to Hobart!

When innovation with food works well, it’s a beautiful thing. And that is what happens at Franklin in Hobart. <br/><br/>I am not talking about something reminiscing the produce of a 26-year-old year old gastronomic wunderkind on MasterChef, plating furiously through the 10 second countdown that concludes the two-hour challenge to produce a concoction that uses turnips.<br/><br/> This is the real deal in so many ways. Franklin is tight and professional. <br/><br/>   The dishes are a carefully executed products of innovation, research, development with a brilliant insight into taste, texture and obscure ingredients with names which are explained without the pretense that is so often part such conversations<br/><br/> This food embraces creation, goes beyond reinvention and combines with classic methodologies without attempting the outrageous molecular constructs that sometimes are passed off as food <br/><br/>  The harshness and ambient noise of the 60s industrial- chic cement with steel window frame room of the former city motors car garage l is attenuated with flimsy drapes that, in a timid way, partition eating sections, allowing focus to be directed to the central hub of creation. Within it, a small tight team pragmatically do their jobs.<br/><br/>No shouting,” YES Cheffing,” or rushing about, total control and understanding- just a relaxed waft of slowly smoking ironbark, a promise of things to come.<br/><br/>  And what a promise the fantastic team of waitstaff delivered to our tables. It is a totally incredible experience whichever way that you choose to enjoy its offerings.<br/><br/> Franklin alone is worth a trip to Hobart if you are not a resident and simply need an excuse to visit a lovely town

When I started researching restaurants in Hobart pre-trip, one name kept cropping up: Franklin. (Not to be confused with Frank Restaurant, which we didn’t get to, but I hear is also great for some South American fare).<br/><br/>Generally, before saying ‘I do’, I like to take a squiz at a restaurant’s menu. You know, to make sure it’s not full of things like boiled parsnips, alligator feet or fried tarantulas. Not a big fan of crispy spiders.<br/><br/>But, I couldn’t find a menu for Franklin to save myself! Yet, I figured when all the top foodie awards deem Franklin Tasmania’s best restaurant, I should just put my life in the chef’s hands. Really happy I did.<br/><br/>We opted in for the $85 ‘feed me’ degustation and loved every bite. This is despite having a Grade A hangover, so really says a lot. The crispy potato dessert with brown butter and salted caramel was so wrong but so right. I also loved the never-ending glass of mineral water – if only this was the situation at home.<br/><br/>Housed in a heritage-listed building, the space is chic. If you lost your inner cool somewhere back in the 20th century, you might feel out of place at Franklin. We sat at the concrete bar and had a front row seat into one of the calmest, cleanest kitchens I’ve ever seen.<br/><br/>Yep, this one’s a real winner!

The dishes are amazing, every bite gave me a lot of surprise. The staff is not that kind, but I will visit again because of the dishes! Good dinner

Franklin is situated in this large warehouse type building within the Hobart CBD. The high ceilings and the overall space of the place makes it very spacious. We ordered a number of dishes rather than going with the 9 courses "feed me" selection because we were not that hungry. Some dishes like the chicken liver and raw morwong are a hit but some others are a miss like the asparagus and the beef. They are lacking flavour for the price we are paying.

What a meal! Every dish we had was well thought and telling of a kitchen who cares a lot about the produce they use, their craft and their customers. Creative but not over the top. The lamb was a standout.

One of the most amazing meals I've had, and I've eaten a lot. We chose the feed me option which ended up being 8 plates including the lamb dish. Service was attentive but not over bearing and each dish was a delight including a number of pleasant surprises. Highly recommended if you ever find yourself in Hobart

We were excited for a dinner at Franklin and went on a Tuesday night for a special occasion. We opted for the feed me option as we thought this would give us the best cross section of what the menu had to offer. The first dishes - fresh bread, oysters, chicken liver pate and the striped trumpeter were divine. However, all dishes beyond this point were extremely disappointing - especially the polenta dish, which was just a shallow pool of sloppy, lukewarm, tasteless mash. <br/>Their drinks menu revolves around a selection of 'natural wines' (which we were not told about until after we were given our first glass of wine), and the lack of Tasmanian wine on the menu was a real shame. <br/>The venue is nice, waitstaff were attentive but lacking friendliness. Also, new dishes were brought to our table before we were even half way through the others, which made us feel pressured to eat faster rather than enjoying the meals at our own pace.<br/>Overall, for the most expensive meal of our trip it was disappointing, and we would certainly recommend other restaurants in Tasmania (some with similar names!) to friends before this one.

I just realised it’s quite odd to start a post with a picture of bread and butter…not very exciting is it! It is, however, the first course of many that we ate at FRANKLIN in Hobart. FRANKLIN is definitely one of the most well-known restaurants in Hobart, if not Tasmania. I had the pleasure of meeting David Moyle, Franklin’s original co-owner and head chef, a few years ago at the Margaret River Gourmet Escape, an event I worked on for some time. I was excited to finally try out his food, even though when we went two weeks ago, he had just left to go to Melbourne! Bad timing unfortunately!

If you charge a premium for food and wine you need to back it up with service. Relaxed, nonchalant is fine as long as basic needs are taken care of without fuss. But:<br/><br/>- Oysters arrive without forks. 5 minutes later they arrive without apology <br/>- food arrives before aperitifs <br/>- Main courses arrive out of synch and before aperitifs arrive!<br/>- polenta dish absurdly liquid and served without any way to mop up <br/>- one serve of bread. Had to ask for more, arrived pretty much at end of meal after having decided to leave<br/>- pretty much ignored during and after mains - no asking if we wanted additional drinks or if Everything was to satisfaction <br/><br/>Reputation precedes Franklin. A beautiful fitout but typical of so many pretenders in that service lacks soul, expertise and the fundamentals of hospitality

Went to Franklin with a large group so we had to do the set menu rather than a la carte. Although the decor of the restaurant is great and the service was generally good, I was extremely underwhelmed with the food. I'm all for "letting produce speak for itself", but a plate of raw, bland radishes is not entirely appetising. Nor is a soupy, flavourless polenta. Or a lukewarm slab of roasted beef (which was huge in proportion to the rest of the plates). I feel as though every dish was lacking any salt(!!!) or other spices to tie the flavours together and that the set menu hadn't been thought out well at all - nothing enticed me on for the next dish or mingled with the flavours that had come beforehand. The only dish I really liked was the raw beef. The wait in between plates varied from very short to almost unacceptable, making me feel as though the kitchen was just throwing together what was easiest to make in bulk for that menu rather than what worked in a culinary sense.

Anniversary dinner. Both Vegetarian, which I specified on the online booking I made weeks prior. Our waiter didn't seem to know that, but after seating us he came back with a Vegetarian menu. 5 options, and he suggested that 2 people sharing should get 4-5 options to be sure. Prices ranged from 20-36$ per dish. Wine list ranged from 66-130$ per bottle. Spent $19ea on two glasses of sparkling, which was ok but overpriced, and $77 on a bottle, which was delicious. Though I have to say the list is a bit obscure and seems to deliberately favour natural wines. Anyway. Then ordered 3 dishes. The food was okay I guess. The last dish was the $36 option. It was a shallow plate of spelt polenta, about 12 spinach leaves, and shaved fresh truffle. It was miniscule. There wasn't even a lot of truffle. We were still hungry but didn't want to gamble another 20$ on something tiny. Decided to go for another glass each for dessert. I ordered a Gamay which was totally faulty (marred by brettanomyces and VA), and when I told the server he insisted that the wine was as it was meant to be. No attempt to offer another option... The service otherwise was not horrible but the staff were indifferent and not especially attentive. The whole night was extraordinarily expensive and the whole vibe felt overly pretentious. We got pizza on the way home because we were still starving. Never going back.

I've seen some complaints about the sizes of the portions at Franklin, but my partner and I ordered the 'feed me' option for dinner and were so full we could barely move afterwards! And we'd skipped lunch that day. <br/><br/>The food was lovely, especially the cured fish, which was to die for, and the leeks. We got 8 courses including dessert (with bread with an excellent salted butter along with an oyster each to start) for $85 each. Service was very attentive and accomodating. Highly recommended.

Fine-dining that needs some refining. A restaurant that charges $55 for their cheapest bottle of bubbles (sitting without a wine cooler and to be honest, quite unpalatable) should be more switched on to the small, important things. Our napkins were left on the backs of our chairs the entire night and after asking for the wine list, no one came back to take an order. The menu, despite looking intriguing and sophisticated is extremely hard to decipher. The meals are made to share but portions are extremely small for the amount charged. We won't be returning.

We had heard high praise for Franklin from respected sources, so our expectations were high. We were 2 couples from Melbourne, dining for the first time in Hobart & excited about the amazing fresh produce we'd likely enjoy. We chose the chefs degustation menu. We briefly enquired about whether any food preferences were accounted for & were reassured we would be provided with a lovely balanced spread. Well, that turned out to be rather far from the truth. The vegetarian / seafood meal that followed was a mixed bag. The abalone porridge sounded worrying but was delicious, however most of the rest was bland & very repetitive. Lots of grains, lots of radishes. All the meat dishes including lamb & pork (noted as the more $$ on menu) were left off. Even the dessert, where we were told we'd have a selection of 2, um no, just 2 serves of the same dish.<br/>A very disappointing meal. My salad from the MONA cafe the next day at lunch was more exciting & I'd been warned off eating there at all. Just goes to show.. worth making your own mind up!

Surpassed all my expectations despite the hype. Everything was a delight from the atmosphere, the food and wine to the professional yet familiar service from the staff. The food was well paced to be able to truly savour each dish including the subtle but delicious calamari dumplings. Make sure to have the lamb, it was the unexpected highlight of our meal. Also the wine list might not be on the cheaper side but it's well worth it so don't hold back!

I loved my experience here, the food was absolutely delicious! We ate the freshest black mans bay oysters to start then the zuchinni with goats curd, ox toungue followed by the lamb dish for main. Also the basil sorbet with fresh berries was so refreshing and yum! Everything we ate was cooked to perfection. The staff were lovely, I couldn't fault anything.

I went fully prepared and hoping to enjoy this place. Unfortunately it continually missed.<br/><br/>I'm no chef but the basics of flavour and texture are just lost on Franklin. <br/><br/>Compared to Smolt, which offers great technique complimented by punchy (and yet not overpowering flavours), Franklin lacks flavour, it lacks balance of flavours and it lacks any particular standout component on any of the dishes we had.<br/><br/>Sweetbreads - bland. The pickle that was offered brought some life and cut through to what is a very rich dish but there wasn't nearly enough of it to see through the dish. Definitely needed something more to lift it.<br/>Pork belly - dry. Crispy skin which was great but lacked flavour and it was mostly dry. Came with daikon which again just didn't have enough lift in it to carry the pork. Totally void of any sauce or something moist to balance out the dry and bring the dish together.<br/><br/>My partner had the beef. Beef, lots of it, possible suvee and sliced... with wilted lettuce. Yes, that's all. Again, underwhelming. Boring actually :-/ <br/><br/>On the upside the waitstaff are lovely. If only the chef could create a bit more excitement and balance this could actually be a half decent place.<br/><br/>Sorry guys, love your effort but dishes totally didn't deliver.

Pretentious is the word that comes first to my mind.<br/>But not because of the staff, it's about the overall experience.<br/>We have ordered the trumpeter to share - great fish by the way - which was served with so much recardo (?) pepper - really chili type - that it ruined a refined dish. <br/>Without knowing what to expect, we've ordered the octopus, the ox tongue and a potatoe - whatever - galette. Well, first, they brought us the octopus and the galette as we were half way through the starter, unbelievable ! I have to add that even if I like it fine dining, 23$ for half a tentacle is a real joke regardless how well cooked it is. Then, on top of that, we had to wait half an hour for the other meal ! Great for a two people dinner ! <br/>And then, as we wanted to enjoy our night anyways and as we wanted to give the dessert a shot : guess what ? Another disappointment with the sherry clafoutis which was promising but sadly tasteless and without interest. I didnt even finished.<br/>Thanks to the bread and butter, the chef should probably think about putting it on the menu...

It’s a very good idea to be adventurous as the dishes that sound the least appealing may well be the best like the…. grains cooked with braised nettles, southern calamari and toasted saltbush $24. …and the grilled lettuce side dish with wakame. Also on the menu has been a Grilled Blue eye cod with parsnip, dried oyster and blue kale $32

Ridiculously expensive. Portions were tiny but quite delicious. To give you an idea, octopus was over $20 and had approximately 10 X 0.5cm pieces. I love gourmet food but this was especially minuscule portions. We went back to our hotel and ordered toasted sandwiches to fill up. Service was amazing though and our waitress was lovely. Couldn't fault her.

Dinner underwhelming expensive and lacked flavour <br/>Space, open kitchen and decor excellent but cold keep your jacket on <br/>Staff pleasant enough <br/>Overall a very disappointing dinner

Highly recommend. Food 10/10<br/>Ambience. 9/10<br/>Staff. 9/10 <br/>$$$. Up there. <br/>Brilliantly fresh, & creative seasonal produce. The open kitchen is a show on its own. Slick and relaxed. Get a spot at the kitchen bar and watch the magic unfold. It's the best seat in town. The food is 'outstanding'. The 'Scottish' wood oven (modelled on a century old design) is what does the magic here. The smokey wood oven cooked octopus, pork scotch, whole flathead or the garfish (biggest I've seen)) are just a few reasons to visit. If only once, you must...

Lovely service, food was great, good wine selection and recommendations. Great lighting and fit out, Only downside - I didn't like the seats.

Love how the restaurant is in an open-industrial set up. Most importantly the food is just as good as it looks. We ordered the iceberg lettuce with dried wakame and sesame dressing along with the roast pork belly, nothing short of amazing.<br/>Was a tad disappointed with the wine list, but it all depends on one's pallet. Bravo nonetheless!

Another standout meal. I would come to Hobart just for this. Service top class. God amazing. A classic and standout modern Australian restaurant. Travel for it.

Perhaps more pleasant for dinner? Lacklustre for breakfast predominantly related to vague and inattentive waiter (favouring a "stare into space" approach). I suspect if we had ventured out for dinner, the well-composed space and food as described in other reviews would have made for a special experience.

Excellent meal with wallaby tartare, squid poached in butter, roasted abalone and roasted lamb rump. The wallaby with Beetroot and saltbush and sage was perfect as were the three other dishes. Excellent service. Lovely space. A must.

Fabulous food and atmosphere. Highly recommend! The lamb and dried fish with spelt was amazing. We only just managed to get a table. Going on the cancelation list is recommended. And definitely recommended.

Terrific experience with group of mates from Victoria. Had chef's menu which included great range of flavours and textures across eight plates. Particularly enjoyed the sunflower seeds in nettle soup with sea blite and roasted Jerusalem artichokes and the malted barley parfait with apple and walnuts! Greatly disappointed with wine list - suffice to say that seven committed drinkers tasted most wines on list and drank only two (different) bottles over three or more hours. Limited choice for very high prices. Also it was freezing... There was very cold breeze coming through gap in covered window at rear (near where we were sitting) and the fire at the front if the building was allowed to go out. We noticed that most diners left their coats and jackets on throughout the evening. Great good, lovely service, deeply disappointing lack of Tasmanian wine, heating required!😊

Walking through Hobart on a mid-Summer night is a pleasant experience, the air has a slight chill. We arrive at Franklin, enter and are immediately impressed by the stark beauty of the dining room with its kitchen and large wood fired oven sitting in a position of command in the centre of the dining floor. We have heard the menu is locally sourced produce done elegantly well in its simplicity. We are accompanied to table and being thirsty from our walk immediate request water and the wine list. Mookie asks for a Pimms – sorry no Pimms. I peruse the wine list for a second (that’s all it takes being so short, its a very small selection of organic, bio-dynamic and natural wines) and decide to settle with water, for now. I look around the restaurant – the kitchen is eerily quiet and clear, gauze curtain gives some privacy from the other sections of the restaurant. It truly does feel cool, in more than one sense.

Beautiful clean and delicate flavours that compliment the seasonal menu. While it is a small menu it seems to work well all together. The space is beautiful and airy. A wonderful place for a relaxed and casual dining experience with top quality food.

To taste Franklin Chef David Moyle’s food is to experience the sublime. He leverages the cornucopia of local Tasmanian delicacies to showcase his inventive and distinctive cuisine. The artfully presented duck liver parfait served with  a succulent fingerling potato and crunchy toasted pepitos was delicious. The astonishing local Tasmanian abalone is a signature dish. Flawless preparation and minimal sauce highlight the briny richness of the mollusk sliced into buttery slivers of seafood bliss. Opt for a front and center view at the restaurant’s long concrete bar to experience the drama of open kitchen theater. In Hobart, Franklin Restaurant epitomizes sophistication in the dining scene.

Knowing that it is often booked out, I called to see if Franklin might do walk-ins during my recent visit to Hobart. Fortunately my partner and I were able to be seated at the bar at 615pm on Saturday 6/2/16. Everything about Franklin was very impressive from the service, fitout, wine and service. We ordered four dishes from the menu, the kingfish, beetroot, pork and another vegetarian dish. They were all superb, I must not forget to mention the excellent bread served from the Pigeon Whole Bakery next door. The food was presented well, diverse and well balanced in flavour. Thank you Franklin for an excellent evening.

It’s a very good idea to be adventurous as the dishes that sound the least appealing may well be the best like the…. grains cooked with braised nettles, southern calamari and toasted saltbush $24. …and the grilled lettuce side dish with wakame. Also on the menu has been a Grilled Blue eye cod with parsnip, dried oyster and blue kale $32

A relatively new restaurant with a rather good degustation style menu...which is sadly ruined by a very poor wine list which simple doesn't do the food any justice. This is another case of what Huon Hooke referred to as 'way too trendy' wine lists..from arrogant 'sommeliers' who are both out of touch with customers and trying to be jjst too clever by half. The wine we selected...and we tried 4 whites and 3 reds was frankly unappealing..and if the intent is to be 'minimally interventionist'..then the restaurant is gambling their food reputation on dubious claims of curiously hard to find winemakers.<br/><br/>Pity because with a wine list that better reflected the food it would be quite good...but I would leave it for a while.

Highlight of my recent trip to Tassie! Beautifully prepared food! The lamb was pink and tender, perfect! Great friendly informative staff.

Beautiful prepared Tasmanian produce showcasing great technique. Attentive service. The only suggestion is to have more wine choice by the glass and get a selection of teas.

Great modern Australian food. It was interesting but still delicious. Great space and service. Surprisingly good value for money for top quality food.

Pretentious and inedible. Most dishes had the consistency of baby food. Thriving on the the Mona crowd from Sydney and Melbourne. Technique over substance.

Occasionally, Gourmet Traveller disturbs its Sydney-centric equilibrium and casts it net further afield than even Melbourne. But then David Moyle is practically royalty. Not quite a culinary Queen Mary, but close. This month, Franklin secured what This Girl believes is a rave GT ‘Hobart review’.

Beautiful restaurant with an open plan kitchen. Most dishes were delicious. Stand out dishes were the raw kingfish, grain with calamari, beef tartare, abalone ($$), lamb and lemon ice cream.

Really wasn't a fan at all. The staff aren't friendly and their pretentious manner doesn't suit Hobart. The shared platter of bone marrow dumpling (yes singular) was a joke. You couldn't share that dish at a work dinner - everyone having a teaspoon of one goofball dumpling, then leaving the liquid cause no one wants to double dip. Oh, and don't dare ask for more bread.

Great service , ambience a bit plain , clean location , great food . Wine list wasn't well known and pricey . A good night out and would revisit

Service was great, really lovely girls, very friendly and welcoming.<br/><br/>Fantastic wine list and ambience.<br/><br/>Food sounded interesting but didn't deliver on the plate. Pork neck was chewy and dry. Lettuce and seaweed side dish was very bland until we got dressing delivered to the table. <br/><br/>Very disappointed after a day of beautiful food yesterday at MONA and great Italian at Salamanca.

There are two places that have opened up in Hobart relatively recently – there’s ‘Frank’ and there’s ‘Franklin’.  With similar names and a short walking distance between, for the less informed, it’s easy to get the two confused – but they are very different places.  Frank Restaurant, on Franklin Wharf, touts South American influenced dining (I can’t make comment on the food as I’ve only been in for a drink), but here, I’m talking about Franklin Bar and Restaurant in Argyle Street.

The NOMA of Tasmania! Chef David Moyle’s sophisticated food was sublime. He drew from local delicacies to showcase his inventive and distinctive cuisine. We enjoyed the artfully presented duck liver parfait with toasted pepitas and fingerling potato. Next up was the house signature dish: Tasmanian abalone prepared flawlessly in minimal sauce and sliced into buttery slivers of seafood bliss. We sat at the bar and were thoroughly entertained by the open kitchen theater.

Went there last week. It was a cool ambiance, a cooler crowd, and especially cool were the many excellent drinks we tried. Highly recommended for a date night or to cap off a big night out. Definitely the highlight of our stay in Hobart - it's worth to make it part of your regular bar circuit there!

Overpriced and over done. $12 for what is effectively grilled ham and cheese. Gives the impression that it's trying too hard to be one of those Melbourne Cafes but with not much substance.

I went to Franklin for breakfast after hearing great things about the food. The interior is very modern/spacious/sterile with polished concrete floors, fur hides and wooden bar stools and is bustling on a Monday morning. I had a cheese and herb omelette (small serving for a $14 brekky, more of a crepe than an omelette, but tasty nonetheless) and my friend had the poached eggs with trout and ruby wheat toast ( she thoroughly enjoyed hers). Unfortunately, the service was a bit cold - We felt hurried by the waiter who reminded us three times that the chef was waiting for our order as we were the final table ordering from the breakfast menu. As soon as our friends arrived, he stood over the table expecting an order straight away having not given them much of a chance to look through the menu. His approach put a bit of a downer on the experience. A trendy place to try if you're a foodie - but the sterile, uptight service left a sour taste.

While visiting Hobart last year, high on my list was Franklin. A newly opened bar and restaurant that I had heard wonderful reviews about. Franklin is the breathtaking new bar and restaurant established by talented chef David Moyle and long-term industry player Ben Lindell. The bar menu is short and features the best of Tasmania’s amazing produce with an emphasis on fresh seafood. The wine list features a carefully curated range of natural wines from Australia, France and Italy. There is also an interesting selection of beers from Tasmania and beyond... The food is largely organic being sourced from some of the best spray-free producers throughout Tasmania, so it makes sense to only offer wines that are also organic and preferably natural (fermented naturally and with no chemical additions in the winemaking process).

Highlight of my trip to Hobart. Service was attentive and friendly. The oysters, periwinkles and octopus for entrees were magnificent. Fish and beef for mains didn't disappoint either. The side salad of lettuce was surprisingly delightful!

Starved for choice!. Not a very good selection of wine or food for lunch. When we explained our issue we were disregarded. Not happy!! Won't be going back.

Booked initially for 7pm at Franklin but asked it to be changed to 8 pm on the day and the staff member who took that change was lovely and very accommodating. <br/>Amazing layout of a place; polished concrete, wood and lots of grey and white. Plus an open kitchen so you can see the chefs making your food. <br/>We ordered 3 entrees and the wood roasted flathead with a side salad. <br/>The raw kingfish dish went to my top favourite seafood dishes of all time. <br/>Oysters were super fresh and the steam periwinkles interesting. <br/>The roasted fish was nice, but not on par with the entrees. The side salad though, lettuce with seaweed; delicious. <br/>We had some beautiful red wine and Japanese beer. Skipped dessert as we were too full. <br/>Service was great; they were courteous and attentive but not overbearing. <br/>Definitely coming back here again.

Lunch. Just returned from lunch. I was reluctant to go because of all the negative reviews, unfortunately they are all true.<br/>For a restaurant that is in the top 100 one would expect more of the food and service. I think the attitudes of the<br/>staff will be the demise of this restaurant. Would not recommend or go back.

Astonishing. I ate here with a group on Saturday night, from the moment I walked in to the moment I left I was smiling from ear to ear.<br/>These guys are pros. The wine list is well thought out and interesting, the beers and cocktails looked like there was something for everyone on there too.<br/>The food was some of the most balanced and tasty food I have eaten in a long while, unpretentious, simple and a bit quirky.<br/>The staff rocked.<br/>Well done guys, I have been telling anyone who will listen to go here.

Lunch. The worst food ever, totally inedible, the worst service and the worst attitude i have experienced.

Memorable for all the wrong reasons. This place is just trying too hard to be cool, in every respect, right down to the abominable service we experienced last night from the head chef who seemed to think we were lucky to be there to partake in his slightly quirky but somewhat bland and overpriced food. It all came unravelled when we were served raw pigeon which was apparently not replaceable or refundable (and $32 wholesale price, thanks chef for the information). We didn’t pay for it, but left hungry and very uncomfortable. I have never in my life dined in an establishment that was too full of itself to replace or refund raw poultry and I won’t ever be doing so again.

Taste extravaganza. Wow oh wow oh wow.! With all the negative reviews we've read from their early days, we nearly didn't book. Instead though we went with open minds to 'see for ousrselves'. <br/>And It was better than being at the theatre. Watching the 'artisans at work' whilst sitting at the bar with a birds eye view on the food prep the taste fest just kept on coming.<br/>Serving locally sourced hangar steak, flathead, pigeon, periwinkles, iceberg salad, and artichoke and pork cheek every flavor was coupled with dazzling presentation. <br/>The staff and chefs themselves were friendly and very attentive to my many questions on how the food was cooked and where it was sourced. <br/>It was 3 hours of pure enjoyment. <br/>Franklin really is a place for lovers of quality food and doing the extraordinary with local in season paddock to plate ingredients. <br/>For anyone else with a negative comment about this place, go to the pub and eat your deep fried parmigiana instead.!

Yummy fun. While visiting from Sydney, we took two of our teenage sons out to Franklin. The funky space and the proximity of the restaurant kitchen to dinners were some of the highlights. We loved the food - favourites were the raw kingfish with saltbush, blue eye with nettle sauce, lemon and bay leaf icecream and almond and lake pedder honey cake.

Awful service. Average meals.. The only excuse we could come up for our dining experience was that it was a Tuesday night.. And maybe just maybe the staff and meals are completely different on a busier night.<br/>Their was absolutely no service given.. The staff practically ignored all tables, left us to clear and stack our own plates and pour out own wine. Normally this wouldn't bother me but when you're paying hundreds of dollars for a supposed chefs hat dining experience, you tend to expect a lot more. Unless this is some uber hipster new practice that is in right now? <br/><br/>We chose 6 entrees and two main meals between the table along with sides. Out of the 10 meals, one was wonderful; the rest either bland, average or awful. <br/>The only saving grace of the place was the wine list; expensive but lovely white wines. <br/><br/>Out of the five of us that dined, we were all disappointed. One has a chefs hat restaurant of his own and continually apologized for suggesting we try it.<br/><br/>I waited with whilst paying the bill to let the waitress know what we thought but was never asked. " paying the bill"... " okay, brilliant, bye" was the departing words from the front of house staff. <br/><br/>Brilliant?? Far from it. Reconsider.

Open Good Friday for breakfast!?!? <br/><br/>Baked green eggs...<br/>Delish!! Unique.. Flavoursome<br/>Short on toast...<br/><br/>But coffee was flawless<br/><br/>I'd be back<br/><br/>You can tell it's an evolving project...<br/>Will be worth seeing again when osirng Hobart, seeing how it goes<br/>I'd like to see it for dinner or late, in its bar mode<br/><br/>It was a lovely unique and interesting fit out of a venue<br/><br/>Loved it

Utterly disappointed! customer service here is appalling!. On my recent visit to Hobart, I happened to drive past Franklin one morning and decided to pop in for a coffee and a small bite to eat - I am SO glad i didnt waste my time & money attemping to have dinner here. <br/>First impressions were great - the space is open, modern and very minimalist. That's pretty much all this place has going for it. The staff wouldnt know customer service if it hit them between the eyes!!!<br/>I was seated by a senior member of staff - who left me with a menu and a glass of water and did not return to take an order. I waited for over 10 mins (this was not a busy time of day with less than 12 patrons including myself in the cafe). When a couple who arrived after me were seated and served their coffee (and no one had bothered to look my way let alone take my order) I walked up to the counter and ordered my breakfast and coffee. There was no apology from the wait staff. My food eventually arrived - the coffee was good and the croissant was lovely (though i assume these aren't baked in house). I would have had another coffee but I wasn't offered any further service (nor was my water topped up in the hour or so i spent there). I can't get over the shocking service - such a shame as all my previous dining experiences in Hobart have been of superior standard. They're trying very hard to be a melbourne-esque restaurant, and failing miserably. I can't make a call on their meals/dinner service however if you're looking for a quick coffee/breakfast or a business lunch venue I would keep walking a little further up the road to Pilgrim Coffee where the coffee is great, you're welcomed with a smile and the staff aren't pretentious. Franklin certainly has potential but unless they pick up their game in the customer service department I believe it won't last very long. I certainly won't be coming back.

Unhappy!. Food poorly presented after a long wait for plates to arrive. SO disappointed with wine list, not promoting local or mainland wines, those few that were available were ridiculously expensive. Waitress clearly brainwashed with description of menu and wine list. Our table of five left very unhappy with our choice of restaurant .

Franklin in hobart. Sensational food, fantastic very efficient service, kitchen is very funky. Loved sitting looking over the kitchen; chefs very professional and skilled; very organised and entertaining watching them cook. Liced the kingfish and the pigeon was superb! Totally recommend to all!

Delicious. What is wrong with your reviewers? We went to Franklin last night, the staff were friendly and helpful, the food terrific! This restaurant/bar deserves to do very well. Good wines by the glass, the starters were divine (Squid rbbon salad with blackened eggplant and the bone marrow rice with roasted greens) and the mains (oven roasted whole flathead and breaded veal) were delicious. I particularly loved the celeriac remoulade. And very reasonably priced! Loved it.

Booking system sucks. I was hoping to write a nice review after going out for dinner at Franklin tonight, but...<br/><br/>I have been looking forward to trying this restaurant for a while now and finally i tried to book into the restaurant for Tuesday or Wednesday this week, which has to be done online, after putting in all details needed i was then told that i would be on the waiting list and they would email me if anything became available. It is now Wednesday and i have not heard anything back, not even to say that i didn't get a table... So, i've tried calling to confirm whether or not i am having dinner at Franklin tonight as there are 5 of us waiting to know... But all i am answered with is a machine that says they are only open from 4:30 and they don't deal with bookings over the phone anyway. This is disgraceful. <br/><br/>Thanks guys, real helpful.

Disappointed. I haven't eaten at this restaurant yet and I doubt I will due to the rude response I received when I attempted to book a table. <br/>I'll admit, I went into the restaurant when they weren't yet open, about 4:30pm and after looking at the website, I now see they open at 5:30pm. Yes, I can see how this might be annoying to the staff. <br/>However, It was a simple mistake and I apologised immediately when I saw the unwelcome expressions on the staff members faces. <br/>One staff member (who looked senior) walked over to me and could not have appeared more put out if he tried. <br/>After stating what had now become obvious, that they were in fact closed, he said, 'what do you want anyway?' I explained that I was just hoping to book a table for the following evening. <br/>He replied that tables could only be booked online and handed me a card with the website. <br/>I then saw what I thought was a smile as he informed me that they do not open the following evening. His whole demeanour was arrogant and unwelcoming. <br/>I'm disappointed as I have heard that the food is good and I thought the restaurant looked amazing. Shame that such a quick and unpleasant experience has left me less than eager to try.

Not good. Great space, terrible service, bad vibe, cold meal, small portions, won't be back

Wow. Absolutely superb food, friendly and knowledgable staff; the best dining experience in Tasmania to date on our round island holiday. The flathead was a truly amazing standout as was the bone marrow rice and mussels - great respect shown to brilliant fresh produce. Go soon before it's too hard to secure a table. Matt and Jac H.

Customer service what a joke!. Called into franklin for a drink on the way home at 9:36pm. First appearances were exciting! Sat at a table near the bar. The establishment was very quiet. We were approached by a senior member of staff who asked if we wanted any food. We were only interested in a drink and were rudely told to go and sit in another location! We did so and finished our drinks in disappointment and would have like another but didn't receive any further service! Our forced seating change was like we were in isolation and ruined our experience of the venue! Such a shame as all our other experiences in hobart have been of superior standard!

Less attitude, more substance-. I recently ate dinner at Franklin- with 3 friends visiting from Melbourne. what a great fit out ! <br/>Service was not inline with the prices of both food and wine. Food- there were two stand out dishes, the "raw fish" and the sea urchin. The pork neck in milk we were told would take 45 minutes- we didn't mind that however it was more than an hour and a half for a uninspiring dish. Hanger steak was poorly cooked and tough, usually one of my favourite beef cuts. The evening was a disappointment- a shame as it's such a great space and could be a fantastic addition to the Hobart dinning scene.

Incredible food! Gorgeous Fit Out!. Ate here last night and can't stop thinking about the food. It was faultless. Slick fit out. Professional staff. Octopus was sensational, flathead was cooked to perfection the hangar steak was so tender and full of flavour, but the highlight was the pigeon, it looked like a work of art on the plate and was tender and delicious. Love the natural wine list - staff very helpful in selecting the right wines for us. I can't wait to go back. This is a sophisticated restaurant for those who love excellent produce thoughtfully prepared with great skilful.

Totally dissapointed - terrible food, terrible wine list, arrogant staff!. The place looks fantastic, clean and modern, and we were very optimistic about the food after having dined at Peppermint Bay a few times. Unfortunately, the look was the highlight of this restaurant. It should have been a giveaway that the table beside us got up and left after reading the menu!<br/>Starting with the wine list, the contents being predominately European, we asked if there was any local wines. The waitress informed us that unfortunately Tasmanian wines were not up to their restaurants standards!!! To say that we were shocked was an understatement. She recommended a Hungarian wine at $68 which was a fairly good $15 bottle of red. One of our guests asked for a Sauv Blanc light white type of wine and was given what could only be described as a Traminer Riesling. Not a great start. <br/>The menu consisted of (from what we could gather) about 4 starters, 4 Entree's and likewise, 4 or 5 main courses. Having asked the waitress to explain how it works, we were told its "how you want to read it" both cryptic and stupid.<br/>We also had a vegetarian with us and asked what they could eat. We were informed that they prefer notice to cater for different food requirements. I am not sure how you would do this as they do not have a menu on their web site and what sort of decent restaurant these days doesnt have a vegetarian option. <br/>We ordered a number of each. The Raw fish and Oysters were great on the starters, the Octopus was undercooked and unpleasant too eat, and the clams had grit in them.<br/>The mains only got worse. The hanger steak was chewy, the snapper was bland, and the aptly named 'Whiting", consisted of one poor whiting on a large plate with a couple of bitter leaves draped over the top. The skin was gelatinous, and the fish was very undercooked. Pointing this out to the waitress, she took this back to the chef and explained to us that "chef likes to cook it right to the edge but agrees this was not close enough" The three bites I had were bloody awful but at least they did not charge us for this dish. <br/>The deserts were fine but really just a mouthful or two and very over priced for what thy were.<br/>Overall, incredibly disappointing and embarrassing for us to take our mainland friends to this place, especially as Hobart now has some fantastic restaurants. Unfortunately, this will not be one of them. Combined with arrogant wait staff, our experience was an absolute disaster and I definitely would not recommend this place.

Terrible experience at Franklin. I don't recall ever going to a restaurant that made me feel less welcome. It's a beautiful space but the attitude of the wait staff was appalling. When we asked if there was anything for those who don't eat meat we were told by the waitress that "prior notice would have been helpful". As there is no menu on the website, I'm not sure how we were to know there would be no meat-free options (and what inner-city restaurant doesn't have at least one vegetarian dish??). I was then offered carrots, turnips, potatoes or a rice and nettle dish (yes I am serious). I chose the latter and it did taste nice but still was more of a side dish than a meal. <br/><br/>Disappointed to see no Tasmanian wines on the menu and when one of our party questioned this we were told that they "didn't approve of the way Tasmanian wines are produced". We had a feeling it had more to do with being able to charge exorbitant prices for cheap wines imported from Hungary. <br/><br/>We'd taken guests from Sydney to dinner that night and were hoping they could experience real Tasmanian hospitality and lovely local food and wine. Boy did we pick the wrong place!

Late decision paid off. We got a tip to go here and it did not disappoint. The polished concrete floor and bar top with open kitchen creates an inclusive, warm environment. We started with the grilled octopus, tasty yet chewy but full of flavour. The beef hanger cooked in the wood fired oven, medium rare, was delicious. A side of greens and mustard tied it all together. Prices were very reasonable and I happily recommend this to fellow travellers.

Hits the ground running!. Franklin delivered on its promise. Partner and I went to celebrate our anniversary and were delighted by the food, atmosphere and excellent service. We wanted to share and sample widely from the very limited menu that features local fish and seafood, no problem, the dishes came out at a relaxed pace and the sharing was pretty easy for most plates. Outstanding: 'raw fish' entree was a carppaccio of albacore with a tangy, velvety-light horseradish cream - everything understated and the perfect fish was stunningly good. We endulged in a shared 'roasted abalone' - again a perfect dish, the ab was served in the shell with a complex salty sauce, accompanied by a citrus congee to clear the palate between each bite of the precious (and pricy) mollusk. Though we share the course, the kitchen obligingly provided a bowl of the congee for each - very gracious and sophisticated service. Interesting wine list - carefully and authoritatively explained by the server. Like the funky, industrial chic minimalism. Just needs a crowd on a quiet Monday night (wow, someone is open Monday!) Five stars from me and five stars from her.

Who'd have thought Hobart could be so hip? Not me. This place should do very well.

Franklin Governor, explorer, landmark namesake, Hobart's latest ‘the’ place to eat and drink; Franklin has opened its doors. The much-anticipated restaurant from Executive Chef, David Moyle and collaborator, Ben Lindell, has been turned on to a slow burn. Aesthetic tapas and a Spanish-Italian wine menu is what's on offer until the opening of the restaurant proper. Housed in the Mercury's former printing press floor, Franklin is terrazzo, polished cement and steel framed windows. A natural beauty, with Franklin’s residency, it’s now the ‘It girl’. Think contemporary, chic, minimalist, steel grey...

If you love food and the joy that it can bring to both your taste buds and the people around you, then you owe it to yourself to book a meal at Franklin. It doesn't matter if it’s only a single dish at the bar, or a multi-course sit down meal, you’re going to participate in an experience to remember!