RFD Franklin

Reviews

• Andrea C.

  star star star star star 14 June 2026

  This brand new place is quaint, in the old post office in downtown Franklin. It brings a fine dining type menu with reasonable prices. We tried the Cod with 3 kinds of Leeks which was outstanding in flavor, portion size and taste, next was the Shrimp Penne with Sun Dried tomatoes, broccolini, and fresh shaved parmesan in a white wine sauce and served with crustini which was a large flavorful serving with 6 large, and wrapped it up with a ribeye steak which was cooked to perfection. The owner, Lisa, came out and was delightful to speak with.
  
  I am looking forward to visiting again when the patio is open.

• Elaine G.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 11 June 2026

  I was really excited to try this place. My boyfriend had picked it out and since we only see each other once a week i was looking forward to trying somewhere new. I drove down from Westfield and made my way to Franklin.
  
  Walked in and were told there was no outdoor seating even though i saw plenty of open tables outside. We were sat inside and noticed the menu had changed quite a bit from the one posted online. Understandable since it's a new place even though the prices went up on almost every item.
  
  The place was very loud, distracting even. Perhaps it's the high ceilings or the table of 10 men we were sat next to even when there were other open more private tables available.
  
  We waiting for someone, anyone to greet us, offer us water. We decided on what drinks, starters, and entrees we wanted. Then kept waiting, and waiting while other tables were offered water and food orders were taken. 4 other tables had given there order and had drinks and we had not yet been greeted. We waited 15+ minutes and due to a movie we were seeing in an hour we decided to leave without anyone ever speaking to us.
  
  I have never left a one start review or felt the need to leave and establishment due to service, but i feel this is deserved. Hope this was the first and only terrible experience you have.
  
  We had a wonderful time at The Mint down the street. We got our delicious drinks and food quickly.  Highly recommend!!

• Lyn M.

  star star star star star_border 9 June 2026

  We heard about RFD Franklin from a friend and decided to head in at 4 p.m. for an early dinner. Took a moment to take the place in, which I must say, is very neat.  Love that they left the old mailboxes and the safe and we thought the rolling desk/dining chairs were very cool (at least until you've had a few drinks)!
  
  For our appetizer, we ordered the Pan Seared Blue Crab Cakes ($13), they were very good, loved the Caper Remoulade.  For the main course I ordered the Pan Seared Scallops ($22), the better half and DD1 had the Classico Marinara ($13).
  
  The scallops were served over roasted potatoes, a bit like home fries if you will.  Personally I would have liked to have seen some more green on the plate, perhaps a small spring mix, cucumber or seaweed salad to round it out but the scallops were cooked to perfection, tender and very tasty.  
  
  The Classico Marinara on the otherhand, at $13, just didn't do it for me. It certainly did not have enough personality to make it stand out as a menu staple, nor do I think it garnered the $13 price tag, but the better half and DD1 seemed to enjoy it.
  
  My only real complaint (and the reason for only 4 stars) was with our server.  She made our dinner feel hurried.  She made little eye contact, limited conversation and she dashed to and from our table as if she were extremely busy.  There were a total of three couples by the time we left and there was another server, so we know she wasn't busy serving customers.  I believe in the restaurant industry, service is a large part of the dining experience, in a more upscale dining establishment with such a refined menu with premium prices, the service should reflect the same.
  
  I believe RFD will do very well with a few adjustments and once they become a bit more established.  I hope they can last long enough to develop a foothold.  We will be back!

• Ken N.

  star star star star star_border 3 June 2026

  Having dined at over 1000 food and beverage places in Central Indiana, I was thrilled to finally get a chance to participate in a "soft opening" of RFD Franklin the week prior to their official opening.  As a bit of a history buff, I've been following the transformation of this historic building (built 1936) that has had several functions in the past.  Glad to see how much love and attention went into preserving what they could and adding complementary touches to bring modern convenience to the place.
  
  Because it was a soft opening, I'll share with you what I caught them doing right.  There are quite a few of those.  I shared with the owners my honest opinions of what I would like to see changed or improved.  Hopefully, my feedback will help them dial in their dining experience presentation as they go live.
  
  Although the restaurant only has a small private parking area, there is a city lot with many spaces that aren't reserved (though I wonder if the reserved ones are available after business hours. That would be helpful!)  There is also free street parking in the area too.
  
  Though the building faces north, I chose to enter from the east side where a nice sized patio sits.  At the time of my visit, there wasn't any outdoor seating, but it does have potential for that.  I also noticed a ramp to assist physically challenged people make it from the parking lot up to the east side entrance.
  
  At first, you will enter a beautiful lobby filled with tile that comes up from the floor onto the walls like a wainscoting. The interior is a buttery yellow and there is rich dark wood trim along with a freestanding booth near the hostess counter.
  
  Once checked in, the staff will escort you into the spacious dining room with 14' ceilings and more dark wood at the bar and the wall of postal boxes that has the kitchen behind it.  The walls are a mint green above the wood and the ceiling has two open areas that rise up to windows that can be opened for additional ventilation.
  
  The flooring is hardwood and the chairs are aluminum with coasters that make it easy to scoot forward and back.  There are a variety of tables, some small and square, others larger and round.  There is also a vault room that can be reserved for a small dining party and another room for a somewhat larger group.
  
  Throughout the evening, my service was excellent!  Everyone was upbeat and if I had a question, they found answers.  Although a water container was available on my table, I didn't even have to fill my glass.  The cocktail I tried was tasty and when I had a question, the bartender came over and answered my questions.  The owners stopped by and we discussed the history of the building and the extra details they've added.  I can't say enough about how well everyone listened and was upbeat about the place.
  
  They are still tweaking their menu, so let me tell you what I was impressed with so far.  The Pan Seared Blue Crab Cakes were excellent!  Large chunks of crab meat with just enough sear to bring out more flavor, topped with shaved celery and a wedge of lemon.  The sauce they had on the side was creamy and rich and paired extremely well.  May be my favorite thing I had all night.
  
  For my entree, I got 6 oz filet WITH a baked potato for only $19!  Wow!  A Steak house would charge double for that.  They have some toppings for those interested in them, but I went with the standard dark sear with a medium rare interior.  The baked potato had a salted (large sea salt crystals) skin which is great for those of us who eat the whole potato.  A flavored butter and sour cream were available.  The potato was normal person size, not one of those monsters that only the most hearty eaters can manage.  Good choices.  I would like to see them tinker with the seasoning of the steak just a bit more.  It wasn't my absolute favorite, but it was still quite good.
  
  I finished off with a Vanilla Creme Brulee that had berries on the side.  The brulee had a crisp crackling top that makes the dessert special (otherwise it's just pudding!)  There was a slight hint of char to the top, but that should get better with experience and the berries blended with the char taste so that it was minimal.
  
  Great experience for me in general and I will definitely be bringing my wife and friends with me once they open.  I would call it upscale dining with a moderate price (actually it was a bargain compared to downtown Indy pricing) dependent upon how much you order.  
  
  Check it out!
  
  Review #2607

• Will L.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 21 May 2026

  Chef really needs to taste his food prior to serving. Way to salty. I rarely complain about food, but my server wouldn't even try mine or wife's. Great service, but not so great food. Won't be back