Perfectly Frank

Norfolk, VA

We have featured a lot of hot dog places in college towns. I mean really, when the midnight munchies come along and you have had your share of barley beverage, few things sound better than a hot dog.

Well directly across the street from the Convocation Center/basketball arena at Old Dominion University is Simply Frank's. Where not only can you fill your munchie needs, you can wash it down with a barley beverage. Complete with a variety of beer inside you can even get the college student favorite, Natural Light, with your meal.

Cooking all of their dogs on a grill, you can cozy up to the counter top and watch them cook it or have them bring it to your table. All dogs are made to order.

Out of all of the places we have reviewed, this is one of the rare places that serves a true New York Red Hot. Encased with a zippiness that is just enough to pat your brow, the dog went down easy. Topping the dog is their chili. The server said there is no secret recipe, or homemade legend, just local mass quantity chili atop the dog if so ordered. For being mass produced, it was mighty good and complimented to spice of the red hot.

Atmosphere- When walking in the first thing to catch your eye is the vent cover over the grill is covered in stickers. If you bring in a sticker, they will add it to the collection. Simple as that. ODU pictures and memorabilia are on the walls, but it also has that touch of college bar to it with beer advertising pieces. If I went to college in this town, I would be here all the time! We chose to sit on the front patio and enjoy the sunshine. I imagine when school is in session this place is hopping. But in the end of June, and not much reason to be in Norfolk, there was just a trickle of people. B

Value- College kids don't have much money. What money they do have is usually spent on...well school 'supplies'. The meaning of supplies may differ from person to person. Though I was fine pushing my $3.19 across the counter, I think for a business that depends on college kids they could do better. But with the price of beer at Simply Frank's you get your money's worth one way or another. No beer bought on this trip for me, so I only got half of the bargain. C+


Side Dish Jody says... The menu had many not hot dog options, although nothing jumped out at me. Everything was kind of boring and plain. I ended up sharing a grilled cheese and fries with our daughter and left unimpressed. D+