The Franklin

I've been on an oyster kick for a year now. Scouring the NE region and even down to NOLA for the most flavorful bipeds.
The Franklin is a total gem. $2 Happy hour oysters were limited to the 3 of their 9 available oyster options from the raw bar. Basically, it is a large, medium, and small offering, which is a fair way to do business. They included a blueberry habanero hot sauce, which was pure fire in the best way.
The local cheese appetizer was blackberry goat cheese and made an excellent dip for the Franklin fries!
Blueberry bread pudding rounded out the perfect evening. 10/10 would recommend. Don't leave Portsmouth without stopping here.

Had to stop in on my quick trip down the coast. What an absolutely fantastic time. Sat at the bar and enjoyed chatting with the staff and sharing jokes and eating oysters. Who knows how the non-oyster items on the menu are. I mean, other people’s non oyster food looked amazing, but I couldn’t slip away from the salty briny goodness of these freshly shucked little suckers.

Have the honeydew cucumber gimlet, it is a fantastic palette cleanser. Just make sure to upgrade the gin to Hendricks and ask them to put 2-3 cracks for FRESHLY cracked pepper on top. You won’t regret heading in for an enjoyable meal.

Everything we ate was outstanding. I will single out the Caesar Bloody Mary (very smooth, olive brine instead of Worcestershire sauce) for mention.

The shrimp and grits is quite simply amazing. A must try!

Located on a side street just opposite the public parking garage (which is a HUGE bonus given the difficulty in finding Portsmouth), this little eatery is great place to sit at the bar and enjoy oysters and/or small plates. We went for buck-a-shuck (actually $2/shuck), which is a happy hour with discounted oysters and a special drink. Great selection of local oysters. The small plates were actually good sized and fairly priced. The Franklin Fries are a must try. Service was prompt at the bar. I could see it getting a little noisey but we were there on a Monday so it was pretty quiet. We'd go again

Went here for the first time for an anniversary dinner. Oysters were top-notch. Mussels were outstanding, and the pork belly sliders were amazing. We had a tiny mishap with our dinner but the staff handled it with the utmost caring and class. Would definitely recommend and will definitely be back. Loved the bread pudding so much we had to get two!!

My daughter and I went this week and had the best time and food and service. She loves oysters...me not so much. But now in love w fried oysters. Grilled peppers and chicken sandwich and of course the fries. Ruby was patient with us and gave us excellent advice on wine ans food.

Went for happy hour. 2 bucks for oysters and 5 dollar sparkling wine and beer, definitely can't be beat. Sat at bar. Bartender was very knowledgeable on menu and oysters. Only reason for 4 stars is that it was very unnerving to see pre shucked oysters. I've never seen that in my entire life.

Such a nice happy hour here (4-6 pm)! $2 oysters and $5 Bloody Mary’s. All 3 kinds of oysters were delicious and the Bloody Mary was very good as well! Service was very attentive and the street/outdoor seating was perfect for a July evening. Definitely recommend!

Quiet, great food and drinks. Oysters are the main focus and they are superb. The burger was perfect and the brioche bun was a nice touch. Pricey.

The Franklin FAR exceeded our expectations. My husband and I have lived in Portsmouth for two years and are upset with ourselves that we didn’t try The Franklin sooner. We sat at the bar and tried everything from raw oysters to a grilled salmon over barley risotto. Our absolute favorite however was the grilled asparagus Caesar, there are no words!!! Lila took care of us at the bar and she was so attentive and sweet! We will 100% be coming back! Fav Portsmouth Restaurant!!

Great Oysters and nice atmosphere. Went in on a Friday night without a reservation and they found us a spot for 2 at the community table looking out on to the street. The service was quick and our server was knowledgeable about the menu and pointed us in the direction of the Happy Hour raw oysters for a $1 each. Try the T & A's if they are still on the menu great smooth sweet tastings Oysters. The cocktails are very creative and unique even using essences of smoke. All in all a nice experience and we will be going back.

Had a wonderful meal/experience here. Great cocktails and draft list. Great service. The Oysters, grilled broccoli, and fries were tasty (ask for the house made Fresno honey hot sauce). We will definitely be back.

What is better than oysters and champagne?! We decided on the oyster tower after a recommendation from the staff. We were skeptical about "gourmet" canned tuna, but after the bartender kept raving about it, we decided to move forward with it. We are so glad we did and she was absolutely right.  Seriously delicious, all around. The thick cut French Fries also adds a nice balance on what may be lighter fair.

Everything was good so far. I have enjoyed everything. Recommend.

Whenever I stay in Portsmouth, this is my first stop!!! Everything is over the top, delicious!!!

Fresh oysters were delicious along with the tamarind margarita.

If you love oysters, you will love this restaurant. They offer a dozen different varieties from all over New England and PEI. Their fries are fantastic and so are their muscles.

Excellent oysters and the shucker is amazing! Just wish there were more oysters in my dish lol!!! Grilled oysters,mussels and coastal cocktail in pic

A few years ago, we accidentally stumbled upon this restaurant, and ever since, we've been hooked on their Friday happy hour specials. With discounted drinks, fresh oysters, and a lively atmosphere, it's no wonder that we've become regulars. We even bring friends and family to this spot because it's simply the best. The staff is always welcoming, and the Franklin Fries are a must-try.

Excellent oyster bar with lots of variety! Make sure you get there for happy hour....oysters $1.25 seven days a week! Regular price is nothing under $3. The rest of the food is excellent, if a little pricey. Portions are not huge but everything is made with care and creativity.