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Frank's Diner
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Touristy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
98 reviews for Frank's Diner
Review Highlights
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"The blueberry muffin french toast delicious." In 3 reviews -
"The place is tiny - housed inside an old train car." In 7 reviews -
"...eggs benedict, perfectly crisp hash browns and a long term..." In 15 reviews
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98 reviews in English
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Review from Mike B.
Minneapolis, MN
5/2/2012
I'm not sure which of the sites we ate at, since they're both in old railroad cars, but this one was beautiful. We sat in the booth with the creepy conductor figure staring in the window, and it was quite campy and fun.
I had biscuits, eggs, hash browns with gravy, and fried German sausage. And coffee. The food was good. I wish I'd skipped the gravy on the hash browns, not because it was bad--it was pretty good country gravy--but because the hash browns were really crisp and nice and the gravy fought with that a bit. The coffee was kind of bad, mostly because it had been on the heater way too long. It was probably better when it was fresh. This rated "three creams, three sugars" on my arbitrary scale of coffee badness, where "black" is the best.
I really can't emphasize enough how nice the car is. They have booths and a long counter where you can sit by yourself or with a small number of friends. I always enjoy the counter experience. According to the fact sheet they gave us, the car was built in 1906 and served 60 years as a diner in Seattle before moving to Spokane in 1991.
I'm giving them five stars for the combination of setting and food. Keep in mind this is five stars for a diner--I see a lot of reviews on Yelp where people don't seem to acknowledge that different styles of restaurant exist, and review every place as if it were a vegan granola barn, or a Cajun hotdog stand, or whatever they wanted it to be when they visited. -
Review from Don K.
Long Beach, CA
5/1/2012
If you ever find yourself in Spokane, do yourself a favor and visit franks. It is a diner, and who doesn't like diners, in an old railroad car. Sit at the counter and watch the cook work the flat-top grill and bullshit with him.
I had a Meatloaf Benedict which is a "diner poached egg" over a biscuit with a grilled slice of meatloaf and lots of fine brown gravy. Have a beer with this breakfast and you're good to go for the day.
Like Arnold said, "I'll be back". -
Review from Christy h.
Portland, OR
3/18/2012
This place has one of the most amazing breakfast atmospheres ever!!! How can you go wrong with an old converted box car train! They have kept the food car style intact and you can tell the pride that goes into this lovely little spot in Spokane.
You can sit at the bar and watch the chef's chit chat while they cook up everyone's meals or grab a comfy booth seat by a window. Both are fun.
I had the eggs benedict with a huge stack of hash browns. They offered gravey as a topping on the browns....mmmmm. I went for it and it was awesome!. The hollandaise was done just right. Ham was thick and tasty. All on top of a fresh english muff.
No alcohol at this diner, which is pretty typical of most. Probably a little tough to manage it all as the whole place is just one car deep. This diner has history and isn't going anywhere. They got it down and the town loves supporting them. Go Frank's!! -
Review from Evelyn F.
5/7/2012
Great place to stop by if your in Spokane for a delicious brunch. They have all kinds of things on the menu. The biscuits are to die for. My partner got meatloaf benedict and loved it while I got a vege omelete. The service was excellent, and you get to dine in a train car! Super fun.
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Review from Kate A.
Missoula, MT
3/2/2012
Wow. We were in Spokane EARLY to drop a friend off at the airport and ended up at Franks based on excellent Yelp reviews. Seriously impressed.
Giant portions, friendly and fast service, delicious choices...all in an old converted train car. We are singing Franks praises and letting everyone know that it is THE stop when in Spokane. (We went with biscuits & gravy, hash browns, & blueberry muffin French toast...oh my lord, incredible!)
What really sold us though was one young man working when we arrived. When we asked about soy milk for the coffee (no allergy, just a preference), the host who seated us offered to run to the store to grab some for us. We almost fell off our counter stools in amazement and gratitude. THAT'S the kind of service you can expect from Franks. Well definitely be back soon. -
Review from Larry C.
Kirkland, WA
4/16/2012
Cool place and friendly people!
However, the eggs benedict had a couple problems.
The eggs were undercooked, fried instead of poached and the english muffin was not toasted. A good 'benny' should have medium firm poached eggs and the muffin should either be toasted and buttered on the grill or in a regular toaster.
-LC -
Review from Stacey C.
Spokane, WA
4/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Definitely coming back. I was in need of breakfast food. They fed me. Old train car converted to a restaurant. Waitress were very sweet and made sure I had everything I needed.
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Review from Jane C.
Battle Ground, WA
3/27/2012
Totally diner food. Plenty of charm in a slightly grease coated environment. Very friendly service. Good fries a a very tasty BLT. Inexpensive
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Review from Steve S.
Brookhaven, MS
4/2/2012
Really enjoyed Franks. It's a bit cramped but these guys are great with breakfast. I had great service and very friendly atmosphere.
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Review from Maria N.
11/16/2011
Guaranteed, you will NOT leave this place hungry! We were in Spokane for the weekend and looking for some greasy diner breakfast, so Frank's looked like the perfect spot. The quintessential train car diner, Frank's is charming with the kitschy decor and vinyl bar stools. It was packed on a Saturday morning, but our group of 4 managed to get seats at the counter.
The menu is typical diner fare--omelettes, biscuits and gravy, steak 'n eggs, basically all the essential ingredients for a heart attack. I decided to go big or go home, so I ordered the biscuits & gravy, which came with a side of hashbrowns. Our waiter asked a follow up question, but it was so noisy by the counter that I only heard "...onions or gravy?" I thought this was a dumb question, I mean I did order biscuits and GRAVY, so I gave him a weird look and blurted out "gravy" (duh!)
When our food arrived, I was dismayed to see my plate completely drenched in gravy. His question was apparently referring to my hashbrowns. My mistake... Although I was starving, I really could only get through a 1/3 of my breakfast. The gravy was just too, too rich. I also didn't get the feeling that all of the food was that fresh or housemade. The orange juice came out of a Minute Maid machine!
It's a fun place to eat for the train car diner experience and by Spokane's standards this is fine breakfast spot. However, next time I find myself in Spokane I'll look elsewhere for my diner fix. -
Review from Stephanie L.
Salt Lake City, UT
11/9/2011
I have eaten at both Frank's locations and they are always consistent and delicious. I have only had breakfast each time I went, and everything was amazing, the huckleberry pancakes are amazing, and the portions are nice and big.
They tend to get busy and the staff seems overwhelmed at times, but they seem to put out food nice and fast, so what you may suffer in service, you get back ten fold in amazing food. -
Review from Trisha B.
Woodinville, WA
3/6/2012
I had the corned beef hash, wonderful. The biscuits were also great and I am a biscuit snob. My husband had the chicken fried steak, portion was huge but also huge on flavor. Coffee had great flavor and really smooth. I cannot wait to come back to Spokane to enjoy the food again.
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Review from Rona L.
Mhmmm....the food here is delicious. HUGE PLATES with HUGE FLAVOR.
The service was great, and the food was fresh - but most of all, their history is interesting to learn about (but I won't spoil it for you, so look it up!).
I'm not in Spokane very often, but this is definitely a place I'll have to stop the next time I'm in town. -
Review from Vince K.
Milwaukee, WI
2/24/2012
Great breakfast, blindingly fast service. Handled a family reunion breakfast of twelve with aplomb.
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Review from Carl P.
Tucson, AZ
11/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Just OK - doesn't live up to the hype.
It's pretty neat that it's inside an old rail car (unless you're at the table with the creepy conductor staring at your booth), but I'm just not that impressed with anything else about the place.
I ordered the pepper steak sandwich was just mediocre. My friends got the turkey bowl (basically a chicken pot pie), and the meatloaf sandwich (not really a sandwich).
Don't get me wrong, nobody had any trouble clearing their plate, but I think the restaurant might have warranted a four star rating if it hadn't been hyped up so much by all the local Spokanis. -
Review from tony p.
Dorchester, MA
11/23/2011
I like frank's..... Decent food, well prepared usually. Occasionally the hash browns a little gummy, their dollar sized pancakes are twice that size but not that good, decent quality meat, well done German sausage. The gravy that they offer on the has browns is white gravy and would probably be better on chicken fried steak..... Their lunches are good, their dinners are good comfort food.
Franks is a good place to visit and it is a Spokane landmark. It's somewhere around the third best breakfast place in Spokane.... First is Knight diner, second is dolly's and third is frank's. -
Review from Heather W.
Seattle, WA
8/1/2011
Loved this place! Tasty American diner food, great for kids, fun atmosphere as you are dining in a caboose! Kind staff and quick service --- the kitchen is a well-oiled machine.
You must order one of the eggs benedict choices - the hollandaise sauce is superb! -
Review from Megan P.
Pasco, WA
7/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This place is great! Came for a Friday lunch and didn't have to wait more than a minute to be seated. It's surprisingly roomy inside. We got a small two-person booth and had plenty of room. They have their "story" posted at each table, along with a sign that basically says to be considerate of the people waiting for your table-- leave when you finish eating. They had lots of waitstaff for such a small place, but it wasn't chaotic. It's nice to see a restaurant that staffs sufficiently so that all tables get great service even if it means slightly less profit.
It was hard to decide what to get-- everything sounded so good and reasonably priced! I ended up getting the Turkey Breadbowl and my fiance got an open-faced turkey sandwich. Our waiter was timely and observant-- we didn't have to wait long for refills. It wasn't long until our food arrived and MAN, it was good. It was obvious that the breadbowl, turkey, and gravy were homemade. My fiance's potatoes were excellent (not instant). We cleared our plates and were left utterly satisfied. This has been the best restaurant experience we've had in some time. We will return whenever we're in town. -
Review from A D.
Sierra Vista, AZ
2/7/2012
Franks is a mixed bag. Food was so good we came back, only to be disappointed. For a train with a family atmosphere, our experience wasn't family friendly. Despite the good food, my wife and I chose not to eat the second visit rather than support an unsupportive staff. I wouldn't say not to go to Franks, but don't expect first class treatment.
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Review from Anna K.
Milwaukee, WI
8/17/2011
How could you not love an old train car turned into a diner? The decor is amazing, and there's nothing like sitting on a stool literally a foot away from the guy cooking your breakfast. And heads up, singletons - it's not a bad place to meet people as there's a pretty good chance of being seated next to another lone diner at the counter. You know, as long as you don't get stuck next to the regular who's clearly been indulging in the full-size Frank's Breakfast Combo every morning for the past 10 years. But for the record, there were no less than three men in uniform dining solo the morning I went. Just sayin'.
It pains me to give this 4 stars, but the Blueberry Muffin French Toast (which sounds like it should be the most delicious thing on earth), was really quite dry. They top it off with gobs of whipped butter, which helped, but I felt guilty enough about ordering something called "Blueberry Muffin French Toast" as it was. I'd definitely go back, though. Everything coming off the griddle looked great. -
Review from Jamie K.
Clayton, CA
5/23/2011
LOVES IT !!
Visited Spokane, and had a recommendation to go to Frank's ...
went for lunch, and came back the next day for breakfast !!!
Both meals were perfect, super yummy, and well priced.
I love trains !! super fun to eat in an ole timey rail car.
the bathroom was clean.
the service was great ...
breakfast on saturday at 10:30 is was wayyyy crowded ... we waited 20 mins for a table, and I'm glad we did ... waffle, bacon, eggs, coffee ... all fabulous !!! -
Review from Carl H.
Bellevue, WA
9/1/2011
Definitely got the COOL factor!
If you're in downtown Spokane you gotta try Frank's Diner.
The diner's in a historic train with lots of history and local flavor.
Service was FAST and FRIENDLY!
Sit at the counter and watch the tattoo'd cooks, fry up all the sweet breakfast stuff. I love to listen to them as they banter back and forth.
"Order up for Craig"..."Perfect Patty Passing!"
Try the meatloaf & egg with gravy, on english muffins with hashbrowns...
They serve up, like a Million pounds of hashbrowns every year.
5 Stars!!! -
Review from Cassie P.
Spokane, WA
8/29/2011
I resisted saying Franks was the best breakfast place in town for a long time. I loved it, but I didn't want to say it was the best.
I was an idiot. It is the best. I always get the breakfast that serves a bit of everything because otherwise, I feel like I missed out.
Eggs can, upon occasion, gross me out at certain restaurants, but not here. The sourdough toast, biscuits and gravy, everything is delicious.
Yes, you have to wait, and it's small, and only one table seats large groups and it's not in the main part of the restaurant. It doesn't matter. Go anyway. Go earlier or later on the weekend if you want to avoid the crowds. Obviously 10am is the worst. -
Review from Stacey N.
Westminster, CA
10/24/2011
A new eating experience -- in a historic train! Too bad we were seated in the back part of the train and missed out on all the excitement. We still enjoyed our breakfast. I ordered waffles topped w/ strawberries. Yum.
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Review from Parsons B.
Boston, MA
10/16/2011
Amazing had eggs benedict. Although I've had better hollandaise sauce it was definatly above average staff was really great and the coffee was fantastic.
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Review from Sandra G.
Portland, OR
12/12/2010
Frank's Diner has been a favorite of mine for many years, including when I lived in Spokane. Hands down the best crispy hashbrowns with sauteed onions and a little Tabasco spiced gravy on the side. The omelettes are big and hearty.
Had dinner their once when I wasn't feeling too good. They made a special grilled cheese with tomato and bacon. YUMMY!!
I go here every time I visit Spokane!! -
Review from Jeannette W.
Eugene, OR
12/19/2011
I used to live in Spokane so I was very familiar with Frank's--but my husband had never eaten there. So I made it a point to take him on our next trip--and he was really impressed with the quaintness and the food. He liked it so much we ate there twice in 24 hours. Our waitress, Gage, was especially accommodating and efficient. We will definitely be back!
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Review from Singto K.
Seattle, WA
10/3/2011
Frank's Diner is a A-OK little place, with A-OK food. I definitely had high hopes that this place would be one of those local gems, but the food gave me and my co-worker stomach problems and had us popping "Pepto Bismol" pills all day. Aside from that, the service was great, I had the "Hot Turkey Sandwich", my co-worker had the "Steak and Eggs Breakfast", maybe it was the water, maybe it was the food, maybe the thick air in confined quarters.
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Review from Chad M.
Phoenix, AZ
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great food and even better atmosphere.
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Review from Brant W.
Beaverton, OR
10/26/2010 2 photos
I was heading to Wyoming on a road trip and was driving around Spo-ka-ne and found this little old school looking diner. Was really surprised by the great service and incredible food. I can see why this has been around for a while.
So if your in town go have a great breakfast in an original rail car diner. Be prepared for a line and a little bit of a wait.
-B -
Review from Alan L.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2010
back in October, work decides to send me to Spokane valley Washington?? colossal waste of time but this isn't a review about work productivity.
I'm not a big fan of breakfast but love diner food. i arrived in Spokane valley Washington at 10pm starving. with no restaurants or fast food places open past 10 my only option was a granola bar for dinner n cig for dessert.
i was on yelp @ 11pm searching ALL of spokane valley for places i could try in the AM...the best thing i could do at this point was salivate at menus and pictures. i came across Frank's diner and knew i had to eat here before leaving for Boise, ID the next day. i was so excited to find a 4 star yelp rating, i even took a sleeping pill to help me fall asleep, neglect hunger pains and forget about the rest of the night.
7am comes around - i woke up instantly...and if you know me i won't wake up for at least an hour after my alarm goes off...the snooze is my fave. i rolled out of bed, got dressed and rushed out the room without brushing my teeth...blah who cares i know TMI.
frank's diner is a huge old skool cable car (literally) since the early 1900's. once u walk in, its almost apparent that nothing has changed since...maybe the cushions on the counter chairs...this was a TRUE diner - just my steeze - diner food = comfort food...perfect right before the presentation i had to give!
they had an extensive menu selection so i had to choose carefully...this would probably be my first and last visit to spokane. however, i knew the short stack w/ huckleberries was a must.
i was greeted by one of the nicest waitresses ever and asked her recommendation. she advised me the joe's special was excellent. that made my day since i was planning to order that anyway - hashbrowns well done.
7 mins later - short stack comes...AMAZING - light and fluffy pancakes and NO i wasn't just starving these were good...prolly one of the best i've ever had. joe's arrives - EVEN better...one of the first that wasn't over bearing with salt...back then i didn't have yelp but already has 5 stars in my book.
overall, a great experience with some of the nicest people in the PNW. -
Review from Cameron T.
Loma Linda, CA
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great breakfast or lunch train car in Spokane.
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Review from Jennifer P.
Queens, NY
10/7/2009
This is a must for us when we go to Spokane to visit from NY. The food is great and in large portions.
Biscuits and gravy and the pancakes are OUTSTANDING. I love the old time feel and decor.Listed in: Definitely my faves
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Review from Rhonda P.
Seattle, WA
9/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
Classic diner fair in a nicely renovated luxury rail road car... my son and I both had French Dip with fries... he had a banana milk shake which he raved about. It was a little tough to get to due to construction that's going on in Spokane rigiht now but worth the effort. The staff was very friendly and attentive.
Only complaint--there's a manican that sits behind the glass of the booth behind us that's a little creepy looking. -
Review from Marko J.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2009
I know this is some sort of a legendary place. Maybe if you are not a big fan of good service and tasty food. Price was OK. Server took 20min to take our order and then another 30 to bring it over. BTW, we ordered eggs benedict, an omelet, french toast and hash browns. All highly labor intensive dishes. All came cold as a witches tit.
I'm giving it 2 start because of the atmosphere and the prices being reasonable. -
Review from Maureen K.
Seattle, WA
9/21/2009
Frank's Diner is a cute little railroad car that serves great breakfast food. I always get the basic 2 eggs, hash browns and wheat toast. Even with my simple breakfast, the amount of food is too much to finish. Their omelettes are huge and filled with the works. They have apple butter for your toast, plus, you can get gravy poured on your taters.
I like sitting at the bar b/c you get to watch how many bags of potatoes, dozens of eggs and dallops of pancakes they make in one sitting. Amazing.
Whenever we find ourselves in Spokane, this is a "must eat" stop for us!Listed in: The East Side
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Review from Vince N.
5/10/2010
Nothing more fun than eating in an old Train car.
The food is tasty, and the atmosphere is great.
There usually is a line so expect a decent wait.
The portions are large, so I opted for the mini portion and it filled me up.
I would eat here again. -
Review from Darin P.
Spokane, WA
4/25/2007
While I know they serve something besides breakfast, I can't really comment on anything else offered in this converted railroad car. This downtown haunt is known for a large, old-fashioned greasy breakfast. I usually end up with an omelette and the hash browns.
For what it is, the food is great. The staff makes you feel like family and it just has a warm feel that makes you want to come back. This is a Spokane staple and a wonderful spot that everyone should try to hit. -
Review from Mark G.
7/5/2011
The best spot to grab hangover food in Spokane. Great omelet. One egg was more than enough for me. Gravy goes surprisingly well with eggs. Can't believe it's been almost 10 years since I've been here. Long overdue is definitely an understatement. Service was almost too good and friendly. Highly recommended.
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Review from Brad A.
Seattle, WA
9/23/2010
IT'S HARD TO RUIN BREAKFAST BY FRYING EVERYTHING.
QUALITY:
Ya, we had breakfast here and I got the dollar sized pancakes. So, it ws okay. It wasn't super-outstanding. A little lighter on the grease there, buddy!
CLEANLINESS:
I would say it's okay. It wasn't bad. The train car has small spaces for a 4-some to sit. The bathrooms were good when I went to use it.
HOTTIES:
I didn't see any hotties who worked there. So, unfortunately, no hottie alert. :/
SERVICE:
The service was okay. It was quick enough that we got our food after ordering.
PRICE:
My breakfast was under $8 with coffee.
