Kareem P.
Yelp
Frankie's bar is one of latest additions to the Downtown Oceanside drinking scene and they are definitely adding to the diversity needed.
Frankie's is part of the recently developed Brick Hotel conglomerate. While they are not DIRECTLY associated with hotel itself, they work WITH
the hotel to provide an additional experience for their guests.
Frankie's is located in Downtown Oceanside, just west of The Brick Hotel.
They have a petite, yet nice patio available for seating, as well as, inside seating that offers comfortable booths, high tables & bar seating.
The decor is very distinct & unlike any other in the area. It almost lends itself to a quaint, upperclass tavern with low lighting, faux crystal chandeliers, brick walls and wall paintings of women in risqué attire.
Their rounded booths are SUPER cozy & coveted.
Bar seating is also comfortable, yet crammed.
The high-tables are ok and just big enough to place your drinks down & maybe an appetizer platter in the center (more about food later).
But the highchairs, while sturdy, are very hard.
I can also appreciate that their patio seating allows for this who have dogs.
The ONLY ding I can think of for their ambiance is that the music CAN be a tad bit loud at times and folks have difficulty hearing each other.
On the bright side, their music playlist is so diverse and I love it. I've heard everything from R&B, NeoSoul, LoFi and even Hiphop.
The songs are typically melodic and make for a great atmosphere.
One can also see the volume as a legit excuse to be closer to date or person-of-interest
Just be aware that I wouldn't consider this place romantic.
They have a simple bathroom setup (for men) with 1 stall & 1 urinal. I've noticed that it can get neglected when understaffed.
Because they don't serve food themselves, Frankie's allows for food to be ordered from the
hotel restaurant next door (Q&A Oyster Bar).
The Q&A is known for their oysters and their Louisiana-Cuisine; all of which just adds to the uniqueness of the customers experience.
Just ask for a menu and order with the bartender.
Service here can be a tad tricky.
This is because they typically have 1-2 staff at any time. Usually though, the 1 bartender can actually manage the crowd well if it's not too busy.
But if it gets slammed, then expect to be waiting a while for a drink or service.
I typically sit by the bar, where I can get served faster, but then I'm running elbows with folks.
Perhaps one of the only downsides to Frankie's is lack of parking. But this is not their fault in-particular, it's an issue with Downtown Oceanside.
This and being aware that the drinks average around $16 or $10 during Happy Hour.
Overall, I love the hours of operation for Frankie's and they're even opened until 12AM on Sundays.
I recommend passing through here for that "after-dinner" drink if on a date or if it's late at night and you don't want to go to a dive bar.