Frankie and Benny's Restaurant & Bar

I've been here a few times in 2011, as it is 5 minutes away from our house. We normally go for a late breakfast. There is a deal, something like 2 main breakfasts for £10 or something. We like it, plays my kind of music and nice and quiet in the mornings. Service has been usually good when not understaffed. My kid always get a balloon and crayons and they treat him well.

We've had lunch twice, shared a big pizza and a large starter plate. Beers are a bit pricey, so is coke. We like the pizza. For meats, burgers and pasta we go elsewhere. Some nice puddings too.

There is also the option of filling a comment card online for a discount on the next visit. or similar.

KP (Unverified), 27/01/12

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I have been here a few times and each time I find myself wishing I hadn't. It's not good when you leave a restaurant resenting the fact that you have spent money there. The food is terrible and completely overpriced. Maybe they could save some money by giving kids crayons and paper instead of a bag of plastic toys, and then invest some more in the food. Having lived in the States for several years I am familiar with this kind of restaurant... and they do it so much better over there. Really, £9 for at best a mediocre burger? There are many gourmet burger places in Oxford who deserve your money so much more. Please, remind me not to go here ever again.

Hovis (Unverified), 03/08/10

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If you go to F&B's expecting gourmet cuisine, you will be disappointed. However, if you go expecting the food that they claim to serve (standard North American diner fare) then you will have a good meal. For those who have not been to the USA and experienced genuine diner-type restaurants; F&Bs food is much better than most! My husband and I went there last night (19/6/10) for dinner before going to the cinema and had a decent meal.

We skipped starters - despite two separate waitresses attempting to press dough balls onto us- and went straight for the main courses. Being vegetarian, I chose a Mediterranean veg burger with fries. The burger was pretty good, could actually taste the vegetables in it, and the fries were not greasy. I also ordered a house salad, which was extremely unexciting, but there was nothing specifically bad about it. My husband had a Napoli pizza which he says was 'nice'. It didn't have any cheese on, which was a bit surprizing, but he certainly made no complaints in finishing it up. A nice range of condiments was offered to us. We had 2 diet cokes, so can't comment on the alcohol.

Pudding. My favourite course. I used my rule of 'never order food in restaurants you can easily make at home yourself' and went for the cinnamon waffle with toffee sauce and icecream. The waffle was a good size, deliciously warm and cinnamony and ice cream of reasonable quality. No complaints. Husband had the 'East Coast Sundae' which was ice-cream, maltesers, marshmallows, chocolate sauce and cream. Again no complaints.

Total bill was £37.00. We thought this was medium price for reasonable food. We will visit again before going to the cinema, but I wouldn't drive there just for the restaurant.

Becky (Unverified), 20/06/10

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Never again. Twice now I have been more of less pushed into having dinner here by friends whilst visiting the cinema.

The food is bland, over salty and of poor quality, and service always feels very rushed, not unfriendly but not attentive either. One gets the feeling of being on a conveyor belt which I suppose is quite true given the location.

Frankie and Bennie's is simply a gimmicky, bad version of an American Diner and if food is important to you then avoid at all costs. Not cheap for what it serves either, I think I would actually prefer Burger King. Italian or American food it ain't, in any way shape or form.

I believe it simply takes advantage of its locations and captive audience which is a shame. It would be wonderful to spend a lovely evening at the movies AND have a great meal too. Why can't cinema chains accept that and try to attract good restaurants instead...

Avoid unless the attraction of being given a balloon proves too irresistible...

Pamplemousse (Unverified), 06/01/10

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Have eaten here a couple of times recently after cinema visits and keep cursing myself afterwards each time telling myself not to go back! I keep saying that I shouldn't expect too much being as it is an out-of-town pizza/burger joint aimed at families and big groups and certainly not at restaurant-loving foodies, but why should I not expect "too much" when you are being charged £9 for a burger or £10 for a pizza?

I had a calzone the first time which whilst having too much onion, seemed ok. It then repeated on me for days after which has made me never want to have it again. The salad that came with it was a disgrace. It doesn't take much to chuck some fresh leaves on a plate with some dressing but even a blind guinea pig would have turned up its nose at this meagre limp offering. (I'm sure half the clientele leave their greens anyway so they have probably learned from experience not to bother with this aspect). The second time round I had a "Blue Cheese Burger" which was also pretty dreadful. The blue cheese in question appeared to be a dressing - not actual cheese and tasted non-descript.

There is next to no choice eating-wise if you find yourself peckish after bowling/cinema here, with all on-site establishments being a let-down. I'd recommend eating before setting-off or taking the short but worth-while car journey to the near-by Cowley Rd where far better and cheaper fare can be found

Joe B (Unverified), 22/11/08

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Having eaten at the High Wycombe branch of this restaurant (which is pretty good) I was very disappointed with the food here. Quality was poor and my partner's steak was among the worst he's ever had - having asked for it to be cooked rare it turned up extremely well done!! So to make ourselves feel better we ordered some more drinks but unfortunately they never turned up at our table...but they did show up on the bill, so this had to be rectified. Never again.

Less than impressed (DI User), 07/09/08

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We've eaten there 3 times...3 strikes they're out. Meals were expensive and not too tasty. I could've made my own pasta at home for cheaper and better. As far as American chain restaurants go, I was disappointed (and I'm an American who's frequented many a chain restaurant in my day).

I've Had Better (Unverified), 14/02/08

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