Franklin Motors

Franklin Motors rates somewhere between three (OK) and four (good) stars for me. We had a good time here.Until we visited, I didn't know this was Chapel Hill's first and so far only beer garden. It's located just one block east of the Carrboro-Chapel Hill border, on popular West Franklin Street. The business opened in October 2021.Over the last few years, my wife and I passed by this place several times, saw all the people enjoying beer and food outside, and it piqued our interest. We're glad we finally got to check it out.According to Chapelboro.com ( https://chapelboro.com/news/business/beer-study-moving-to-new-chapel-hill-location-new-bar-taking-over ), the folks behind Franklin Motors renovated a small building previously owned by Franklin Street Auto, LLC. That's presumably where the "Motors" part of the name comes from. There are several auto shops in the immediate vicinity, including one I went to often: Automotion. I highly recommend them, by the way: https://www.yelp.com/biz/automotion-carrboro There's a Town of Chapel Hill gravel parking lot that you can pay to park in, adjacent to Franklin Motors. We parked for free on the street (South Graham Street).Compared to other beer gardens I've been to, Franklin Motors is one of the smallest and most humble-looking. The business sits on an unassuming corner lot. It's a simple, sort-of-makeshift spot that gives off vibes of an independent garage. You can get up on the rooftop, which is nice, and they also have a dedicated food truck on site: Roquette at Franklin Motors. The building has an indoor space on the ground level. Outside, it's gravel and there's a canopy -- that's where we sat. We couldn't get the fans to work. We stayed for hours, into the night when the property was string-lit. There was also a fire pit.This place is good for groups. We had a group of eight. It's also dog-friendly.Here's what my wife and I had:Drinks* Pimms Cup (forgot the price) - Pimms No. 1, lemon juice, cucumber topped with ginger ale* Middle James Great Musa Hefeweizen, 4.8% ($7)* Noble Wild Berry Knight Cider, 6.0% ($7)Food from the Roquette food truck* Mac & Cheese ($10) - fresh cream, Ashe County cheddar, toasted bread crumbs* Hand Cut Fries ($8) - hand-cut potatoes, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and housemade roasted garlic aioli (and ketchup).* Pineapple Chipotle Tacos ($18) - braised pulled pork, simmered in a pineapple sauce, chipotle, coriander, ginger, and orange, with avocado, pickled onion, cilantro, and queso fresco* Sliders (pick 3 for $15) - we got 2 Cheeseburgers -- Baldwin Beef (Yanceyville, NC), tomato, pickled onion, roasted garlic aioli, toasted brioche bun; and 1 Cajun-fried Chicken -- pickles, house slaw, roasted garlic aioli, toasted brioche bunThe drinks hit the spot. The beer selection was good. Decent variety. The cocktails were standard.The food was OK. The only underwhelming dish was the mac and cheese. While the portion size was generous, it didn't taste significantly better than instant mac and cheese. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you expect better when going out and paying $10+ for mac and cheese. I did appreciate that it was made with local cheese. Everything else was pretty tasty and again, generous portion sizes. The fries were nicely seasoned. We wanted slow-cooked duck leg instead of braised pork on our tacos, but they were out of duck. That's alright. The tacos were meaty and filling. The sliders weren't bad. The beef in the cheeseburger sliders was a bit tough (well done to overcooked), but that was fine. Better safe than sorry. The Cajun-fried chicken slider was tasty enough. Some of our friends got the Caesar Salad ($10). It looked fresh and yummy. Portions on that were generous as well.Service was fine.We visited on an ordinary summer Saturday and stayed from about 5 to 9pm. There was a slow, steady stream of customers and it never got too busy or crowded. I wouldn't mind coming back to hang out and have drinks with friends.

So this place has become my new neighborhood bar. I normally stop in here on my days off or when I'm on an extended break from my part time job.They have plenty of outdoor seating; but I prefer to sit indoors. I've gotten to know the bar staff a bit, plus sitting in the a/c is always nice. They have a great draft beer selection and you can also get wine or cocktails. An additional bonus is there is a food truck on the property. Roquette Food Truck is a wonderful place to get food. I've gotten to know the executive chef and owner there and he is a very talented guy. This is a great place to check out if you are just stopping by or you are new/old to the area and need a new bar to go to. Enjoy!

We had a great time at this small but quaint beer garden. To begin, the beer selections were diverse and plentiful. About 20 beers on tap. So there was something there for everyone to choose from.Then, we got hungry, and decided to order from the stationary food truck Roquette. Wow! Really good. My wife and I ordered the Steak Frites and it was amazing. It was cooked to a medium rate (as it should be), was obviously tenderized previously (which came through in the texture), and was finished off with an amazing seasoning with the Minced Herb Pesto. Simply a great meal!This place is a must if you are in town (and the weather cooperates)!

Great spot in Chapel Hill! Feels local and cozy. We came in on a Friday night before a basketball game and it was decently busy. They had a fire going which was great, and the roof top seating was packed (did not have a chance to go up there). They have a food truck with some solid options. We ordered the sliders and fries, but were told by some regulars that the kale salad is one of their best items. Loved the seasoning on the fries, just wish they were a tad crispier but they are solid overall. Be sure to check them out!

Really great rotating beer selection, cocktails as well, nice both covered and uncovered seating, excellent Caesar salad, sliders, fries from Roquette food truck on busy days be prepared to wait a while but it's because they're working so hard and it's well worth it. A really casual and fun meet up spot

I recently moved to the area and my friend and I saw how cute this place was with the rooftop and lights so had to stop in. There is plenty of parking in the city lot nearby. The bar has a solid selection of IPAs, ales and sours on tap. Staff were super friendly and prompt! There's also a food truck with sliders and salads for ~$15-20. The food is solid but not the most memorable, though maybe other menu items are better. Overall, this place really shines because of its fun vibes and ample outdoor seating! I'll definitely be back.

Nice atmosphere. Mostly outdoor seating. Decent drinks and not horribly priced. Great place to come after work.

Great vibe, drinks were great and lots of seating. Service was excellent. Ciders, beers & full bar!

Fun, laid back Chapel Hill place with adjoining food truck. Beer is great, food truck options are not extensive, but are fine. Big portions! Great place to hang in a summer night.

Great place to sit and chat with friends. Not a beer person but the gin spritzer and ciders are tasty.