Neighborhood Spotlight: Frankie's Uptown @ Downtown Summerlin
Happy Tuesday!
A little different today, because I know you all don’t want to hear about JUST Real Estate from us. After all, we’re not just selling homes in Summerlin, Las Vegas, Red Rock, Green Valley, etc, but we’re selling the areas around them. After all, your neighborhood is where you live, eat, go to school, and enjoy your time. From time to time, Sydney and I actually get a babysitter, and can actually go out to eat, enjoying a nice, well-earned, date night.
We were able to get out of the house the other night, and decided to keep it local at Downtown Summerlin. And no other way to get local, by going to a local restaurant owned by locals; Frankie’s Uptown. If you have been to Downtown Summerlin a lot, Frankie’s is located where El Matador used to be, just on the other side of the street from CPK, Wolfgang Puck’s, and Shake Shack. The difference between Frankie’s and the three I mentioned; Frankie’s is local, and not a chain. And if you know me, you know we always try to go LOCAL over a chain, when possible.
photo courtesy of Frankie’s Uptown - used with permission
How local is Frankie’s? His wonderful wife, Chris, sat us and thanked us for coming in. It was a Thursday night, and relatively early (Babysitter + Kids = early dining for us). We were there in plenty of time for Happy Hour, which is great, especially because Frankie’s Happy Hour goes until 6:15pm instead of the standard 6:00pm. It may sound like a ‘gimmick’ but really, if you work until 5pm or so, that extra 15 minutes could get you another round, or another order of amazing appetizers at a fraction of the cost.
The place is very well done inside, and the decor is beautiful. It really feels like an upscale, updated local bar and restaurant. Not too hokey, no Applebees feel or anything. If you like the fake exposed brick look, cool light fixtures, and rustic wood looking tables, you’re in the right place.
Photo Used with Permission
Sydney and I started off with a few of their classic cocktails. We wanted to mix it up a bit, so we had one of their Old Fashioned’s, and another special called Frankie’s Flowers, which, despite that I’m not much of a Rum drinker, was refreshing and fun. Not wanting to miss out on the appetizers (at the Happy Hour price), we also ordered some of their Wings and the Cauliflower Au Gratin. Both were very good. The wings were not over cooked nor over ‘sauced’ and were very tasty. They have four different flavor options, and we went with the Honey BBQ ones. Sweet but not overly sweet! And despite the fact that we ordered Cauliflower, don’t for one second think it’s necessarily ‘good for you’. Full of cheese and cream, it was a great take on the dish. If someone had blindfolded me, I would have for sure thought it was Macaroni and Cheese!
After the appetizers, we decided to split one more thing. Never one to pass up on someone’s ‘specialty’, we decided to split one of their famous “STRoLLs;” their take on a Stromboli. Perfect size to split. You have that pizza type flavor, but not overly heavy. Ours was filled with delicious cheese (both Ricotta and Mozzarella) and homemade Meatballs (which they have as a standalone dish on their appetizer menu. Washed it down with a couple of beers, and it was time to get the check.
Nothing on the menu is overly expensive, and if you play the game the right way, and enjoy Happy Hour pricing (remember, it’s 15 minutes longer), you can get in and out for a very reasonable price. The staff is great, the bartenders really know what they are doing, and the ambiance was very laid back. We have been there on nights right before Aviators games and the crowd was electric. Happy Hour does fill the restaurant up quickly, but it’s not too loud. They have a great patio area as well, that will be the place to be when it starts to cool off just a little bit. When you get to Downtown Summerlin, and want to eat LOCAL, consider Frankie’s Uptown; a great place owned and operated by great people!
Have you been to Frankie’s? What do you think? Let us know!
Are you a LOCAL business owner? We love covering Summerlin, Las Vegas, Mountains Edge, Green Valley, and discover great locally owned businesses. Drop us a comment and we’ll try and make it to your place as well!
-GZ