Cool Cafe - Franklin

I really enjoyed my time at the Cool Cafe. It's heartbreaking that it was their final day of operation. Many devoted customers came to pay their respects to this beloved Franklin establishment. Unfortunately, like so many others, it has fallen victim to the challenges posed by COVID and the struggle to find dependable staff.

I went out of my way to visit this restaurant, but I found it to be fully booked while 80% of the tables were empty. It was surprising to see that a meat and three place could be completely booked, especially since it didn’t appear that way to me.

My wife and I have visited this restaurant a few Sundays for lunch, and it's been quite enjoyable overall. The banana pudding is absolutely delicious and deserves five stars! The rest of the dishes we've tried have also been good. However, we decided to give steak night a shot, and unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience. It took a long time for our food to arrive, and my steak was extremely tough—definitely the worst I've ever had. I don’t think I’ll be returning for steak night again. While the service was friendly, the long wait for our food was a downside; my wife mentioned it took about an hour.

The restaurant has a casual, cafeteria-style vibe, which might come across as a bit chaotic. It didn’t feel as clean as I would have preferred. The food was decent, but not exceptional. I ordered the meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn fried okra, and banana pudding. Unfortunately, both the mashed potatoes and banana pudding had a gritty texture, reminiscent of instant potatoes.

Cool Cafe is my top choice for takeout and delivery. Their steaks are full of flavor, and I particularly love the deviled egg that comes with their wedge salad. However, on November 12, 2021, my 6 oz. filet mignon was cooked from medium-well to well-done, whereas I always request it medium-rare. I checked my order to confirm I had specified medium-rare. The steak tasted great, but with rising prices due to inflation, it’s even more important that my steak is cooked exactly as I ordered.