Tucked beneath Mallard Drake (43 Franklin St.), down a set of unassuming stairs, is one of Greenpoint’s best under-the-radar food finds: Franklin Frites.
It’s a bare-bones, underground burger joint where you can still get a genuinely good burger for under $10—yes, in 2026, yes, in Greenpoint. There’s no Instagram push, no neon signage, no influencer bait. Just solid food, reasonable prices, and a steady word-of-mouth following.
Franklin Frites is run by Paul Lee, a native New Yorker with Korean heritage, who keeps costs low by operating entirely out of the bar’s basement kitchen. The setup feels intentional: minimal overhead, maximum focus on the food.
The menu is straightforward but flexible, built around classic comfort staples with the option to layer in Korean flavors—most notably kimchi, which can be added to just about anything.
A basic burger starts at $9, or $14 if you want it topped with kimchi, cheese, and spicy mayo. From there, things branch out: a bulgogi burger for Korean BBQ fans, kimchi dumplings, kimchi fries with spicy mayo, and k-fries finished with chojang sauce. There’s even a hot dog topped with kimchi relish, which somehow makes perfect sense once you try it. Paired with a $6 Mallard Drake beer, it’s one of the increasingly rare places where a solid dinner and drink still feel affordable.
Vegetarians aren’t an afterthought here either—the plant-based burger holds its own, and it too can be topped with kimchi if that’s your move.
If Korean flavors aren’t your thing, there’s plenty to choose from without the heat: a prime rib burger, chicken tenders, nachos, pickle bites, and other familiar bar-food classics.
Delivery is available (expect prices to be a few dollars higher to offset app fees), but Franklin Frites is best experienced in person—post-drink, pre-drink, or as a destination all on its own.
In a neighborhood where new food spots often arrive fully branded and pre-viral, Franklin Frites feels refreshingly old-school: affordable, unfussy, and quietly confident. The kind of place you find because someone told you about it—and then you tell someone else.
Franklin Frites is open from 5PM-11PM Monday to Thursdays and 5PM-1AM on Fridays and Saturdays. However, they will be closed for Lunar New Year on February 17.
Mention Greenpointers for $1 off basic burgers and $2 off kimchi burgers. Spend $40 or more and get “seobiseu” in the form of a free side of fries.