Frank's Coffee Shop - STEAKS!

#1DC Antoinette and I happened to be in Burbank one Saturday and passed Frank's by accident. She had never been and I hadn't been in several years. My first favorite thing about Frank's is how complicated the sign is. It's a whole mess of different styles going on there.


As we have learned from the Foxy's review, you can't always trust what is listed on the sign. There were no steak outlets nearby, just an apartment complex that shares the parking lot. I can't imagine a more wonderful living arrangement for myself. A coffee shop right outside my door! The apartments did look a little shady though.

The other amusing thing about the sign is that it may be inaccurate--the building itself reads "Frank's Restaurant," not "Frank's Coffee Shop." Which is it?


I do not have a panoramic camera; just take my word for it that the "urant" is there.


Frank's is a wonderful 70's throwback: long counter and plush Naugahyde booths that will surely remind you of ol' uncle Jimmy's easy chair in the den. The large windows flood the place with brightness that can only be outshone by the sunny dispositions of the waitresses. There's no snark there. They were really nice and friendly.


We started off with coffee, which came in a hilarious hodge-podge of thrift store mugs. My mug celebrated 'tee-time' while #1DC Antoinette's had a lovely seascape. The coffee itself was nice and smooth but could have been a little bit stronger.

#1DC Antointte noticed an odd number of italian dishes on the menu, and not just standards like spaghetti or lasagna, but more elaborate (for a coffee shop) dishes like homemade wild mushroom ravioli and gnocchi.

She theorized that the cook or the owner (I assume, Frank) may be Italian. Neither of us were in the mood for Italian, though thus the quality will remain a mystery.

We were in the mood to splitzies and ordered the two items we had both been eye-balling. We decided on the Fish and Chips and the Beef Melt.


The chips were crunchy, thick steak fries and the fish tasted fresh, even though it most likely wasn't. The crust wasn't oily and was more like the kind you'd find on chicken strips. In fact, I'd call it more of a breading, than a crust.


The beef melt was one of the best sandwiches I've had in a long time. I honestly wasn't expecting much but this really exceded my expectations. It had roast beef, bacon, avocado, tomato and cheese. It had a perfect amount of all the ingredients. I ordered the coleslaw, since we were getting fries-er, chips already. The coleslaw was decent and not soggy at all.

Now my second favorite thing about Frank's, after the sign of course, is that it is populated with these little guys.


They are every where. Drunk little tuxedoed goombahs. Stay classy Frank's.

We both really enjoyed Frank's. It's a place you don't expect much from just looking at it, but it will surprise you. There are some good diner choices in Burbank, but Frank's really is the best.

Food- Great
Service-Nice and friendly.
Price- $7-$10 for most dishes.
Pie-Yes

916 W Olive Ave (at Olive and Victory)
Burbank, CA 91506
(818) 845-2216

Back in LA: Astro Family Restaurant and Coffee Shop- It's not out of this world. HA. Ha. ha.

Back in Los Angeles with a quick review.

To Los Angeles residents Astro Burgers are a mainstay of our homegrown fast food chains. Not as beloved as the over-hyped In-n-Out Burger or name-checked by rappers as much as Fatburger, it is probably #4 right behind the famous Tommy's.

I had no idea that Astro had branched out into the Coffee Shop/Family restaurant world. Taking an unfamiliar route to the Doll Factory one day before practice (I'm a roller derby referee in my other-other life), I found this place.





It's not like it's hidden away; it is right off a main street in Silver Lake, just a street I never need to take anywhere. After maneuvering into the parking lot, which can be a hassle with traffic and one way streets, I found a great parking spot right behind the building. Not knowing which side the entrance was on, I took a chance and chose left. I chose poorly. I ended up having to walk around to the complete opposite of the building.

The decor inside was a wonderful wash of 70's kitsch with oranges and browns and other ugly design choices. It oddly reminded me of the house I grew up in.



What is with turquoise seat covers? I swear, 7 out of 10 of the places I go have these. Harry's Family Restaurant did, Dolly's in Spokane did, and now this place. Turquoise and orange and brown don't seem like they go together. Then again what do I know? #1DC Antoinette thinks my green sweater and milk chocolate colored slacks make me look like an Andes Mint, and I think my socks should match my shirt not my shoes.

The menu was hard to chose from, not because it all sounded so good but rather it all sounded so mediocre and even boring. Even Denny's or an IHOP can pull off a surprising menu item. Rootie Tootie Fresh and Fruity anyone? It sounds like something you should order regardless of taste.

The menu was also shockingly expensive and lacked any sort of combination to make a full meal without popping over to the double digits.


I ordered the pancakes. I was so unimpressed by them that I nearly forgot to take a picture until I was finished.

The coffee was especially weak. It tasted like coffee that had been made from the grounds that had been run through the machines twice already.

The only positive thing I can say is that they have a massive orange juicer at the front of the restaurant that looks wicked industrial.

They also offer a patio for outside dining. Cancer up, my smoking friends.

Sitting at the booth in front of mine were two cops. They were talking about getting drunk and riding their bikes home from parties. After all, they are smart enough to know not to drink and drive...bikes must be okay then.

Food: Meh. I just got the pancakes.
Service: She was good until it came time to get my check.
Price- 8-15
Pie: Yes

2300 Fletcher Drive
Los Angeles, CA
323-663-9241
Their Website

UPDATE- 11/19/2010
I've been back to Astro a few times since this review and I have softened on the food a bit. It's okay, but still too pricey for what you get quantity and quality-wise.

I also have never been in there where there wasn't a table of cops also eating. I think I've seen more LAPD here than when I ate at the diner at the police academy.

Diner 101- Never Run Out of Hashbrowns

Going to 101 is like stumbling into a limbo (which according to Popezenberger no longer exists) - nearly everyone inside is of this modern era but the place itself is captured by the year 1977. Part of this is an artificial put-on of 70s nostalgia. For example, the walls are decorated with framed personal photographs from the time. Lots of large Chevy pick-ups and kids with messy hair. The other part has genuine trappings of 70s décor. A wall is made up of exposed rock, the floor looks like the Formica in my great aunt’s old kitchen and amazingly wonderful globe light fixtures hang above the booths. (You will soon learn I have a thing for globe lighting fixtures.) It also harkens back to the day when diners were attached to other businesses. Usually they would sort of fit the locale, bus stations and bowling alleys for example. Growing up, my local Kmart had a diner in the back with magical looking jello parfaits in a glass case. The 101 Coffee shop is in a Best Western hotel, this leads to an often eclectic mix of hipsters, burgeoning rock stars and people who actually remember the 70s- and are in their 70s.

I went in on an overcast Sunday afternoon. This would be after the church rush and before the dinner boom, so I expected to find it near empty. To my surprise, it was busy and I had to settle for a small table. No booth with totally awesome hanging globe light for me. I ordered coffee which came promptly. Silverware proved elusive for a time. The coffee itself was hard to gauge. I added some creamer and a splenda packet but was unable to mix it short of taking matters into my own hands, or rather finger. After the spoon arrived, I can say they have perfectly adequate coffee. Not too bad and not noteworthy- despite the fact that I just made note of it.

Looking over the menu, it breaks down into three categories: breakfast fare (served all day) sandwiches (tend to be on the frou frou side) and pastas. It was too far from morning for me to be craving breakfast and I’m never in the mood for pasta. I perused the sandwiches for awhile. I couldn’t resist the pull of the fried egg sandwich. My dad used to have me make him these. Mom would usually make dinner but when she was working late, dad, sister or I would pony up and do it. When it was my turn to cook, pancakes and eggs were always on the menu. My dad liked his fried egg sandwiches a certain way, so to me that way is the only legit way to do it. Toasted bread, buttered and the egg fried all the way through with a thin slice of American cheese.

When my sandwich from the 101 came, it was plain toasted bread, a tomato, red leaf lettuce and the egg with cheese. ‘Close enough’ I thought. A few bites in I got quite the unexpected surprise. Apparently, another completely valid way of doing a fried egg sandwich is to leave the yolk runny. In England a fried egg sandwich is called an Eggs Banjo. It gets that name from that first bite into the yolk and the messy explosion that ensues. You pull the sandwich out and away from your body so as not to spill on yourself and it looks like you are running your hand up the fingerboard of a banjo. I was not expecting this and got slimy yellow all over my hands. Eating the rest of it became a bit of a chore. If I put the sandwich down it meant knifing and forking it which was not the kind of sandwich I was looking for. Flavor wise it was a perfectly fine sandwich. The tomato, which I hold in low regard when it is presented by itself, really worked well with the egg and bread. The lettuce was unnecessary. The toast could have used some butter on at least one slice, since the expectation seems to be there that you will be sopping up the yolk.

Normally this meal comes with hash browns, on this day however there was no more hash browned potatoes to be had. They offered me french-fries instead. I love french-fries. Some might see that as a negative that the 101 had run out of a diner staple, and really it is, regardless of my love for the fries. What if I were jonesing for hash browns? This would have been totes uncool. How could they possibly make it up to me? I’ll tell you how- Sweet Potato fries mixed in with the regular ones. Oh man, that was delicious.

The service was sketchy at best throughout. From the lack of silverware to the lack of refills on the coffee, I seemed mostly invisible. I can understand that if I were in some dark corner booth but I was at a table literally within ten feet of the register. My waitress, who was also the hostess seemed to be spread just a bit too thin. She wasn’t the only waitress there though. Another girl seemed to do nothing except walk up and down the nearly empty counter with a snotty look on her face (plus, she wore one of those Red China olive drab caps which is just annoying).

When it came time for dessert I asked my waitress what pies they had. “Cherry and Apple but I wouldn’t recommend them.” She steered me toward a fruit cobbler. I passed. Although I did not partake this time, the 101 is known for its delicious and eclectic milkshakes. You won’t find the industry standard three flavors here. Instead you will see peanut butter and honey (my favorite) or blackberry or the black and white concoction with a shot of espresso. Do these make up for the pie that is apparently so bad the staff dissuades you from ordering it? Not at all but they are tasty.

Price: $7-12 for most entrees
Food: Good enough.
Service: Lacking.

Atmosphere: Retro Fun.
Pie: Yes, but don’t do it.

101 Cofee Shop

6145 Franklin Ave

Los Angeles CA

(323) 467-1175