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Fran's Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Canadian (Traditional) [Edit]
200 Victoria StToronto, ON M5B 2R3
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 304-0085
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Touristy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
41 reviews for Fran's Restaurant
Review Highlights
"...decor, always loved the all day breakfast idea and the odd..."
(in 3 reviews)
"2 beers, and some corned beef hash and cajun popcorn shrimp..."
(in 2 reviews)
"The coconut cream pie is phenomenal here."
(in 3 reviews)
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41 reviews in English
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Review from Christine R.
Scarborough, ON
11/30/2011 6 photos
I love me some good diner food and Fran's definitely fills the void. Whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner or a late meal Fran is open 24/7 and has not let me down yet. There's something soo comforting about cozying up one in one of there plush cream leather booths at a large blue diner table while noshing on some homestyle greasy diner grub.
Menu items I've ordered include
Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich
Lightly breaded chicken breast topped with tomato sauce &
mozzarella cheese. Served on a baguette.
Grilled Chicken and Bacon Panini
Seasoned chicken, avocado, tomato, bacon, and Jack cheese.
Gourmet Deli Smoked Meat Sandwich
Served on marble rye, garlic pickles, coleslaw.
Corned Beef Hash
Lean corned beef sautéed with potatoes, onions & spices
served with 2 eggs any style, homefries & toast.
Coconut Cream Pie
The best cream pie in town! Made with real cream.
Food comes out hot, large portion size, simple and delicious. Service has always been great here, it's a diner with diner food...what more could you expect? The coconut cream pie is phenomenal here....definitely the best!
FYI Washrooms are shared with Pantages Martini Bar. -
Review from Thomas H.
11/24/2011
Rolled into this Fran's at 4AM with a group of 4. Got seated after the waitstaff walked by us about 4-5 times.
We sat, took 4-5 minutes to decide... and waited for another 15 minutes.
25 minutes after entering we hadn't even got our order in, and this was after trying to flag down waiters. We ditched them, went to the other Fran's, where the food was mediocre to bad.
Chicken wrap doesn't even have proper pieces of chicken in it, they used deli slices.... Way overpriced. If you're looking for something half decent, stick with their breakfast options.
Even if it's a ridiculous hour, I'll be avoiding Fran's. I'm heading to 7 west next time. -
Review from Lisa C.
Toronto, ON
11/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Despite being discouraged by some of the previous reviews, I went to Fran's last week because it was one of the only places open at 5:30am near St. Mike's where my dad was having an MRI (not to worry - he's just fine).
I had the breakfast burrito and an orange juice. The burrito was not very burrito-y... but what did I expect at a diner? It was more tortilla than filling and at one point grease dripped down my arm. Ew. The hashbrowns were pretty tasty though and the orange juice was surprisingly good and freshly (or at least recently) squeezed.
I likely won't be back unless I happen to be in the area at an ungodly hour once again, but it wasn't terrible. My surroundings were clean and staff was attentive and friendly. -
Review from Jorge L.
10/7/2011
I actually like it.
Have you tried their tuna melt? You will forget your mother's (or girlfriend's) name. It's got the right level of saltiness, a bit of onion and greasy bread... it's heaven. I bet with one order, you consume half of your recommended calorie intake.
Don't worry - Goodlife and Extreme Fitness are just around the corner.
I like this location better than the one on College... it's classier. You get to enjoy the view of St. Michael's hospital depending on where you're seated. Or better yet, of the lovely Eaton Centre.
Fran's is a good "I'm going to eat and what a day huh" place. You come here to eat and relax. NOT go on a date (tacky). The bathroom, because they share it with the Pantages hotel, is very clean.
The food menu is pedestrian and cooked decently, but order that Tuna Melt!Listed in: My 30-day challenge
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Review from Sara K. P.
Toronto, ON
7/25/2011
Not usually a fan of the greasy sodium fests that diners often are but funny enough 21 days into my cycle the body shuns all discretion and judgement and just wants to effing pig out irresponsibly on food that bears no resemblance to anything veritbly nourishing. Enter Fran's my (bucolic)PMS cravings destination.
The decor is here reminiscent of the Peach Pit from 90210 , but thankfully no sightings of a surly and aproned Brandon Walsh to be seen.
My recommendation is to stick with the good ole' diner classics here no sense in ordering steak or pasta, best save that for a real night out. Everything pretty much tastes like the food your babysitter would have made you, like home fries reminiscent of tater tots slathered with canned gravy and roast beef served up on a pasty slab of Wonderbread. Mmmm the taste of nostalgia....
Funny enough me & my girly friend always end up here for shits & giggles when we've fallen off our healthy lifestyle diet bandwagons. One time she lied to her SO that we were at Baton Rouge instead as we didn't want to get busted here but when he found us, we hung our heads in shame on being outed for the Fran's junkies we were.
Truthfully though Fran's is great for nursing those late night hangover munchies and admittedly have had some fun late times here after various Yonge st related ribaldry. Now if only their rice pudding could tame my moodswings... -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
8/16/2011
I didn't really expect to enjoy my lunch here...it was sort of a default choice. My sister, cousin and I all had sandwiches.
Me - Grilled cheese with real cheddar, thick-cut challah (egg bread) and sliced tomatoes (optional). It was very good! I also opted for the sweet potato fries which were 1.79 extra but a HEALTHY option, right? ;-) The side cole slaw (extra) was a disappointment.
Sis - Disappointed in the club sandwich as the chicken was a "bit overdone".
Cuz - He was happy with his grilled chicken and avocado sandwich. His regular fries were good too.
We also had a helpful, attentive waiter, so I guess, based on some of the other reviews, we hit on a good day. -
Review from Jason B.
8/24/2011
Before seeing the hilarious Craig Ferguson, we decided to grab a quick drink and bite on this 'classic' diner's patio before the show.
It was 45 minutes before the food arrived; we had advised we were seeing a show before we ordered. We were almost late for the show. We actually ordered the special and pre-paid the bill to save time.
The steak was luke warm, flavourless and well done, though we ordered it medium rare. The vegetables and potatoes were tasty but cold. We didn't complain... didn't have time to send the steak back!
And it was likely because service was slow... won't be back... unless I'm offered a free and properly cooked steak. -
Review from Cheryl Y.
Montréal, QC
9/17/2011
Wow, I can't believe this place only got rated 2.5 stars, especially since I had a wonderful breakfast experience here, and everyone around me sure looked like they were enjoying their food enormously. Of course, I was only there for breakfast, and how can a restaurant really screw up breakfast? Actually, I take that back, there are lots of ways in which breakfast could go awry.
But Fran's does it right.
At Frans you definitely get more than you pay for. The portions are epic, and one plate of breakfast could definitely feed two people. They're also ridiculously generous with their coffee, and on the ball about refilling coffee cups- every time I got to the bottom, within the minute, the waitress would ask if I wanted another!
Their menu doesn't really stand out from any other breakfast diner- and they serve the same breakfast food as everywhere else, except that it's cooked well, and not overly greasy. The service was fast for the amount of people that were there, and the waitresses were sweet, although our waitress did come around a little too often to ask us how our food was.
All in all, it was a great breakfast experience, and I'm very excited to go there a second time! -
Review from Magdalena R.
Toronto, ON
5/11/2011
There is a lot of choice on the menu and most of it sound pretty good.
The day I went in, I happened to have been waiting for a show to start across the street and ran in for some desert. These days it is hard for me to choose between Baked Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Carrot Cake. My taste buds love both, and they love my butt; but I digress. The menu contains both desserts, and for some unknow combination of the forces of the universe and so on, that day, I chose Carrot Cake. The cake itself was quite yummy, the cream cheese frosting was not so much. When it comes to Carrot Cake, the quality of the frosting is super important. It makes or breaks the cake. At Fran's, the Carrot Cake is broken. Not very much frosting, and half of it was not cream cheese frosting; it was that fake gross frosting that you often find on cheap cakes. I did not cry, but I wanted to.
Aside from the cake drama, the rest of my group seemed to be ok with their food. The onion rings were very oniony, and the burger was average. The service was not too fast, not too slow, friendly-ish, and the place was mostly clean.
I will be back, but only because sometimes I need breakfast in the middle of the night. -
Review from Cheri d.
4/22/2011
This was the first time i've been to this particulr Fran's location across from Massey Hall, although i've been to the Fran's on College numerous times.
I was surprised when i walked in and the layout seemed much bigger on the inside than the other Fran's!
We just popped in here for a quick bite before a concert at Massey Hall the other day. The service was good, quick and attentive. I just got a poutine to fill my tummy up. It looked good when it arrived, but i did have to ask for extra gravy. I don't like them dry fries... They brought it out right away.
No authentic cheese curds this time, but i didn't really expect it from diner poutine. All in all... yummy!!
p.s. the bathroom is extra fancy! You go through to an ajoining resto next door to use the bathrooms. -
Review from Lynn C.
2/20/2011
There's not much you should expect from a 24 hour diner. They have a huge variety of selections, from breakfast food to burgers to pasta to...miso soup. No I didn't order the miso soup; i suspect if i did, i would take off a star..haha.
We had the rueben sandwich, poutine, and chicken finger with fries. When I asked if i could substitute fries with anything, the waitress just said, what do you want? I was like, erm...salad? and she said it would cost you. Not very helpful.
I like how easy it was to split the cheques though. One person asked for a separate bill and she gave us one bill with everything divided neatly. Very cool.
Food is average. If you're hungry at 3am, you really don't care what you're eating unless it's absolutely disgusting. amirite? -
Review from Kent P.
6/23/2010
This is fucking filth.
I used to live in this building. When I moved in I was pretty excited to have a 24 hr place downstairs.
I went there a few times at the start and quickly realized what a huge pile of shit the food was. OH, and it's not even that cheap. OH and everything is served at any time? Good? No, that's just disgusting.
So yeah, sure- I got real drunk and came back at 3 in the morning- but I regretted it the next day. And I probably should have regretted WAY more things than a meal. Fran, I hate you.
PS
Anyone who gives this place more than a two star review should immediately be removed from this site.Listed in: Worst Experiences @…
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Review from Letty S.
11/26/2011
Our family really enjoyed Fran's on our recent trip to Toronto from the US. We would not consider it a funky or eclectic diner, but a really good basic diner. For breakfast, it was fantastic...super yummy pancakes and the other egg dishes looked great. They have a pretty large lunch/dinner menu too. Service was pretty quick even when it was packed.
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Review from Justin M.
Milton, ON
11/28/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I only go to Fran's when the wife & I are heading to a show at Massey Hall, but I find it's a good place. They'll make sure they get you on your way when you've got someplace to go, and the food is decent.
The staff can be okay, although on occasion they make mistakes and it's your responsibilty to deal with it, but convenience and dependability of food still get it three stars. I might deduct one, personally, but I'm gonna just be cool with it. -
Review from Chris C.
6/4/2010
Fran's Restaurant. Oy vey.
It gets one requisite star for availability (24 hours).
They were open when we got in late to Toronto. I had a regrettably greasy omelette and potatoes that I probably would have walked away from were it not for our 5 hour travel delay and the incessant stomach grumbling that accompanied it. We were lured back for a breakfast with the promise that they had the best pancakes in Toronto. We were lied to. The pancakes were too much of a mediocre thing. I don't need to eat a whole backyard's worth of food. Just give me a decent portion that's done well.
Maybe Fran's should reconsider the 24 hour thing. Go home. Get some rest. And at least get breakfast right.Listed in: Neighbours to the Nourth
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Review from Brooke R.
12/31/2009
Fran's was one of the only restaurants open on Christmas day. And it was busy.
Fran's is a diner and, as expected, the menu is your standard diner fare. I had trouble finding something that wasn't greasy but eventually setlled on the caesar salad wrap. This had tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in addition to what a caesar salad typically comes with. The chicken pieces were battered and fried, grilled was not an option.
The service was unattentive. I'm ready to go.... please please please look at me so I can ask you to come over and bring my bill. Please? No? Ok... I'll just play with my phone until you look at me. -
Review from Es P.
Toronto, ON
6/23/2011
Ate here around a week ago. Service was terrible. Food was all cardboard. How can a diner muck up a burger?!
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Review from Kat F.
4/27/2009
This place has really gone tits up, hasn't it?
The service is abhorrent.
When my friend Joe L. used to work here it was decent, but after he quit I noticed that I actually dreaded being served (or more appropriately NOT served) because the servers are so inattentive and generally scatterbrained.
Also, the number of typos and mistakes on the menu is frankly unacceptable.
The only reason people eat here is because they crave breakfast late at night. There ARE other 24 hour options in the city, people. Lakeview Diner, Reggie's, 7 West, King Palace, Sneaky Dee's (pretty much 24 hours), for starters.
Whoever owns this Fran's location needs to be more discerning when it comes to hiring competent wait staff.Listed in: Tipping Is Optional
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Review from Ariel G.
6/19/2009
Fran..how I hate thee let me count the ways....
1. Lackluster, disinterested, poor service, by first server, when I chose not to buy booze.
2. More bad service by second server, who I was passed on to.
3. "Would you like a minute to order" ..as I was being handed the menu.
4. Getting a partial order....not everything that comes with the so-called meat loaf.
5. Getting a STEAK knife with the meatloaf, what an ill portend!
6. The cook used too many tablespoons of garlic in the meat loaf.
7. I got the potatoes but no vegetables.
8. Did not know if the gravy on the meatloaf was gravy or re-cycled motor oil.
9. When asked how everything was and I responded 'crappy', the server just left.
10. I had ZERO energy before the theatre to address the manager.
11. I will never come back. BEWARE.Listed in: My List of Shame
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Review from Moritz H.
Toronto, ON
7/22/2011
Love this location. Good breakfast
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Review from Amanda L.
8/19/2008
I guess this place is famous in Toronto or something. They get points for being open 24 hours, but I don't know, I just wasn't feeling the place. Don't get me wrong, my waffles with 2 eggs sunny side up with bacon and caramelized apples was really good, but I get I expected a lot, since I had heard a lot about this place. My fruit smoothie was good, but not great. The service was really mediocre. The bathrooms were confusing as HELL to get to. You have to grab a card, and open the door a certain way and slide the card again, ARGH, why is going to the bathroom this difficult?!? I'm glad the bathroom was clean when I got there.
I realized while eating that I probably shouldn't have gotten the extra side of toast, since the waffle was sufficient to sop up the eggy remains. I can't really pinpoint what I didn't like about it, maybe it was too sweet? Maybe the eggs were too runny? There was just something about Fran's that didn't do it for me. Maybe it was the price? It was about $36.00 for the two of us, which isn't exactly cheap, especially for what we were getting in terms of ambiance and food.
I probably wouldn't rush to come back here. Yes, if you are a drunk college student, I see the appeal of some good waffles and eggs after a night of partying. But I'd probably head somewhere else before I decide to come back to Fran's. Or maybe I'll have better luck at the original location on College Ave? -
Review from Ferdinand H.
5/5/2009
You know, maybe I'm a dumb American, but it wasn't so bad! My price perspective is also pretty off, but it seemed reasonably priced to me. 2 beers, and some corned beef hash and cajun popcorn shrimp really hit the spot.
A ten minute wait was followed by very brisk service; had to see a show at Massey! So, we ordered in 1 minute, and I asked for the check in the same breath.
Inside decor is very 50-60's diner. Reds, whites and chrome.
The food was fair... but nothing mindblowing... I did eat all my hash though!
And... made it with time to spare! -
Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
4/21/2009
Much to my chagrin I find that I'm often goaded into patronizing this sub-par eatery.
There are some passable menu items but as far as breakfast is concerned there's nothing here that has ever really wowed me.
I've even been told not to order a particular item by the server because it's "just not good"!
Often a popular choice with groups that can't decide on a better place or perhaps because it caters to the 24-hour crew. -
Review from Danielle D.
Toronto, ON
4/19/2009
I work right around Fran's Restaurant and have always walked by without eating there because I was not terribly impressed with the prices.
Well, now I've eaten there and I'm not terribly impressed with anything else there either.
The wait staff seems totally disinterested in their customers and in getting tip basically, it took FOREVER to get our orders taken and the restaurant was only speckled with people with wait staff wandering around mindlessly. While our server seemed nice enough, after we ordered we never saw him again, never got refills of water or any attention regarding our food (which was luke-warm and meh) The best person there was the bus boy, so I left a decent tip hoping it would trickle down to him.
I had the Eggs Benedict but with feta cheese and tomato, which arrived with barely enough feta cheese to actually be listed on the menu. The home fries were nice enough but for 13$? No thanks.
The famous float for 2.99$ was pretty good. Standard pepsi and ice cream but I added strawberry ice cream for nummy chunks o' strawberry in my soda.
If you're strapped for time or want a location open late, why not, but if you have ANY other option, avoid this place. -
Review from Marie F.
7/5/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I had only been to one other Fran's in my life, (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) and based on that visit I was willing to overlook all the glaring 1 and 2 star reviews.
To start, my service wasn't bad; granted my waitress was far from giving me the "warm and fuzzies" but she was adequately attentive.
As previously mentioned I had eaten at a Fran's before. As far as I could tell the menu was identical to the other one, so I ordered the calamari, knowing that it would be great. My order arrived and I already knew I had made a mistake by ordering this appetizer. The sauce was not thick and spicy... instead it was thin and oily like a vinaigrette. It tasted on but was more reminiscent of a calamari salad.
I sampled a few deep fried pickles and they were awesome. My entree, the deluxe BLT was pretty good.
Bottom line is that it was overall a good visit but I probably wouldn't go back unless I am craving a late night snack. These guys are open 24/7. -
Review from Keidi K.
5/4/2010
I used to love going here, really. I was always into the decor, always loved the all day breakfast idea and the odd time when I would order from their regular menu I was not disappointed.
But I have to agree on the service, it really has gone downhill for a place that was not so service friendly to begin with. -
Review from Allison T.
Toronto, ON
2/27/2009
First off, let me say I really enjoy going to the Fran's on College Street.
So, it wasn't a huge leap in logic to assume that this Fran's would also be fun & delicious. Unfortunately - I was quite incorrect.
Our server was grumpy (she mumbled, scowled, & slammed down out various glasses & plates). We never received the waters we requested.
I'm lactose-intolerant. This is an important part of the story, because I only use my 'lactose points' for things I know will be totally worth it (ie: old-school milkshakes, cheesecake, etc.) I ordered up a chocolate milkshake with confidence. It arrived lacklustre entirely in the silver 'extras' cup with a straw. I shrug it aside & take a sip. Ick! Water-y chocolate milk. There was nothing shake-y about it. I refused to drink the rest of it, but didn't send it back as I was wary of our server's attitude.
This was the first time in my life I haven't tipped. Don't go here; put in the extra leg work to get to the other Fran's. -
Review from Amy D.
3/31/2011
You cannot be a college or university student in the city of Toronto without having been to Frans for their all day breakfast. That being said i used to go there all of the time for that meal alone. If you go on a weekend be prepared to line up. I was just at Fran's on Sunday and i opted for their Triple Decker BLT with fries for under $10. Honestly you get what u pay for, you cannot pay ten dollars and expect Haute Cuisine. My sandwich was good but not great, it didnt blow my mind. It was a triple decker, but personally i think two pieces would have made the sandwich more manageable. The saving grace were the fries, they were delicious. Overall if you are looking for a good breakfast with a great youthful vibe, than Frans is it.
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Review from Stephanie J.
East York, ON
2/26/2009
I generally really like Fran's. I love the atmosphere and the food at the original on College St. From now on if I go to Fran's, I will only be going to that one.
I went for late lunch recently. The restaurant was practically empty and it took far too long for someone to see us. Once we were seated (right in front of the waitress station), it must have taken 20 minutes for anyone to come over and take our drink orders. We watched the waitresses sit there and chat right in front of us ignoring our table completely. I was shocked. I wasn't any better that they were complaining about tables and customer where we could clearly hear them.
The food was very good, but I would rather have had a good waitress to make the experience better. From now on I will go to the original Fran's. -
Review from Melissa J.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 1/6/2009
I retract my nice review of Fran's! I think I was nice because I hadn't actually been there in about a year, and had not witnessed the downward spiral of this place.
Let me paint a picture for you: Brunch. Friday around noon. Restaurant is NOT full, yet there is a lineup out the door because the hostess is ignoring all the people at the door.
Finally, we are seated. And we sit. And sit. And sit. Seriously? There were three waitresses in our section and not one of them even said, "Hey, we're a little swamped right now, give me a minute and I'll take your drink order." If someone had said that, I would have been fine. Instead, I saw a couple who were seated AFTER us get their coffees before someone had even said hello.
Needless to say, we walked out. I don't go to a restaurant to be ignored, I go there to eat. Bye-bye Frans. Your food is not worth waiting around for, anyway.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/10/2008
This is the cleaner, a tiny bit more upscale version of downtown Fran's on College. This location is… Read more »
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Review from Philine v.
5/4/2010
My first trip to Toronto, had a show at Massey Hall at 8 pm, and everywhere else had a long line/wait for a table. SO, my friend and I opted for Fran's, which you must admit is a fab location if you're going to Massey Hall (right across the street!). The drinks were pretty good (and cheap), which is generally a good way to start. We tried the poutine, but having nothing to compare it to (I DID say this was my first trip to Toronto?), we liked them. The steak was likely not a great choice at a diner, and I know better for the next time. But the veggies were not overcooked and the mashed potatoes tasty.
We returned after the show the next night (yes, Eddie Izzard fans rarely just do ONE show), as it was right there and open, and we were starving after waiting more than an hour for our guy at the stage door. Service at that hour was a bit slow, but again, drinks were cheap and good, and the burger and fries were quite good.
All in all, a decent option.... -
Review from Jason E.
4/6/2010
It was a close call between 3 or 4 stars, Frans is an uber-diner, the menu is extensive, the burgers are good, the service is good, amazingly, even their fries are quite good which in Canada is little short of miraculous. I want to go back and eat their eggs benedict which looked really good as it was being served to the person on the table next to me, actually I want to go back and eat their everything. Everyone seemed to be eating something that looked fabulous in a diner-y sort of way.
So why the 3 stars then? Because a Ceasar Salad should be made with freshly grated or shaved pamesan not dry powdered stuff, the bacon bits regardless of provenance have no place here and there should be a lot more dressing.
I will not be deterred from coming here again though, nice people, a great diner, good prices. -
Review from Grainne M.
Toronto, ON
9/21/2010
Disappointing.
This was one of the first places I ate a sit down meal in Toronto. I met up with my friend and his little toddler. Just to put things in perspective, it was the weekend of the G20 summit. The day before had seen windows broken, ATMs trashed, police cars set alight.... There were police on every street corner as we wandered around looking for somewhere to have brunch. The police were polite and even smiled. A couple of them chatted with the little child and tried to get a smile out of him. Their friendliness was even more striking when compared to the attitude of the staff in Fran's.
The place was half empty, but they didn't really seem happy to see us. We were given menus and a piece of paper and some crayons for the toddler. My friend chose the full breakfast and I went for waffles with side order of strawberries (extra charge). His breakfast looked good in a sausages/pancakes/home fries way. It would definitely keep you going for the day and was pretty good value! My waffle was nice but the strawberries were terrible. I got around 4 of them, from a tin, in some kind of nasty juice. And it was extra. Coffee was weak but better than nothing I suppose.
Service was....just about adequate. They gave us food and we didn't have to wait too long for it. They were far from friendly though and when the poor little toddler decided he didn't feel like sitting down and wanted to explore he was treated to scowls. Maybe they should recruit the staff to be part of the riot police next time?
I might go back if I'm craving a big greasy breakfast when everywhere else is closed. Otherwise? I'm positive there are much better places where I don't feel like my existence is an annoyance! -
Review from Susan M.
Toronto, ON
10/7/2009
Today 10/04/09 after the CIBC 5km Run For The Cure my run mates and l decided to go to Fran's since it was the only place in the area with a shorter line-up for brunch. The line was moving fast until it came to us. For the number of people in our party we had to wait an additional 20mins on top of the 15mins that we had already waited.
We were seated in a booth and our waitress came right away to take our drink orders. We were all very impressed & I should point out that our waitress was very attentive & polite.
We requested separate bills and this request was honored with "no drama or raised eye brows". We all ordered breakfast and it was so so, nothing to brag about.
Might go back, unfortunately it's not the Best or Preferred Choice in the neighbourhood. Will leave it to the Tourist's!!! -
Review from Kim B.
ON
12/16/2008 9 photos
I like to go here strictly for dessert. I don't know why, I just love that it's open late and I can go and have a tea with apple pie when I like. I'm just not that interested in the day time crowd.
Mostly, it's after a Massey Hall concert, which is right across the street. But even if you're not part of the concert, you can watch from the big windows at Frans when the smokers make a dash out the door of Massey Hall to light up. -
Review from Pete C.
Oakville, ON
11/27/2010
I have eaten here twice. Both times I got friendly, pompt service and a very good lasagna.
Its not fine dining but the portion was generous and reasonably priced and it is a 24 hour diner with a huge menu selection. -
Review from Kyrsten J.
New Westminster, BC
9/8/2010
Gotta say, maybe it's my Vancouverite easy-going attitude *ducks to avoid shoes thrown by Torontonians* but I enjoyed Fran's. Was taken there for breakfast before we headed to the ROM and it was a decent breakfast. Sure, not the best breakfast I've ever had, but it was cheap, not too greasy, fast, and they were good on the coffee refills. We had no issues with service, and in fact, had about three different servers help us out.
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Review from michael t.
Toronto, ON
1/22/2010
I am a huge fan of pancakes....and these guys have the best I have had in Toronto so far besides Detroit Diner. The breakfast at this Fran's is much better than the lunch or dinner selctions, but they are still pretty good. Average pricing and A-ok service and cleanliness are a big plus for this location compared to the old Fran's on College Street. The only thing that I would change about this location are the hostesses who always seem to be a little too prissy for their job and restaurant.
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Review from Victoria S.
Toronto, ON
2/11/2011
so it's not like, great food. if anyone is expecting some kind of great dining experience, or amazing food, they are kidding themselves. but i don't think fran's is marketed in that way. the only thing that is misleading is the prices are a little high for the quality of the food. but it is a diner after all, i think comfort food is their speciality.
i met my friend jay there for dinner a couple of weeks ago because i liked the idea of an old-school diner. i was a bit disappointed when we got inside (atmosphere and menu wise) but i still had a good time. i had eggs florentine for dinner and it was surprisingly good. and the homefries were tasty, fried little bits of heaven. they didn't have any hot sauce (other than tobasco, not a huge fan) and the server got the kitchen to pour some of their sauce in a side dish for me which was (a) so sweet and (b) more than i would expect any restaurant to do. my friend had chicken fingers and yam fries and that looked pretty standard. the beer was kind of flat. but the booths were great! loved the booths.Listed in: brunch
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Review from Grant C.
5/30/2009
Wow, what an ass-kicking this place is taking! I didn't think it was so bad. Coming from New York, it was about what I expect from an all-night diner: mediocre breakfast food, indifferent service, drunken patrons. It was right door to my hotel, so convenience is admittedly the main reason I stopped in. I wasn't expecting haute cuisine or five-star service and I didn't get it, but I'm pretty sure my late-night waffle saved me from death.
