Franklins Restaurant, Brewery and General Store is well-known around Hyattsville, but the Washington Post recently listed its upstairs taproom among 11 of the D.C. area’s most underrated bars.
For his story, critic Fritz Hahn decided to revisit “highly enjoyable bars” that get overlooked “just because they’re no longer the shiniest, newest thing.”
For 14 years, Franklins has been the go-to place for fresh, local beer in Prince George’s County. It’s no longer the only brewpub in the county, but its beer remains the best. Regulars know the downtown Hyattsville restaurant has many faces: a toy store packed with goodies for all ages; a wine and beer shop; a family dining destination with pizzas and sandwiches. But the star is the copper-topped bar upstairs, which offers a view into Mike Roy’s brewhouse. Roy’s strong suits are IPAs and sour beers: The standout on my last trip was Sourhopnado, a well-made sour ale packed with resiny, citrusy hops. Get there between 4 and 6:30 p.m. for the daily happy hour, with $1 off all beers and discounted food, including a bowl of giant onion rings that might be too much for one person to finish.
Hopefully the piece will inspire more than a few D.C. residents to make the trip up to Franklins to see what the fuss is all about.
