Fran’s Place

My friends and I went from Boston to Fran’s place on saturday expecting a comfy kitschy dive, but what we found was a dark corner of the soul of america. a guy at the door asked if we were a band playing there that night and when we went in, we realized why: the band members for a show there looked cool but despondent — there was no way they lived in Lynn. The locals were a ragtag cluster of folks who looked like they were out of any small hard luck town in america. That is to say, walking depression. There was no comfy dive vibe, but it just seemed like where hope goes to die.

Last Thursday I had a paint night fundraiser for the Northeast Animal Shelter at Fran’s Place! They couldn’t have been any nicer, or more enthusiastic about helping us raise money! With their help, I was able to raise over $ 1k for all our fur babies at the shelter! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Fran’s Place for being so wonderful! We will be back for another event next year!

Great venue and club. They have a huge variety of special events to choose from. Open mic, dancing, comedy show and great pub food!!! Loving the new frans

Just terrible! First there was a 5 $ cover which is fine I guess but then I bought a drink and it was 10 $!!! For a drink which hardly had any booze. It’s not even that expensive at the top notch clubs in boston. Plus I’m sure they have more than 7 people on a Friday night at any club anywhere. There was hardly anyone there. I used to go to Fran’s all the time like 4 years ago every Friday and it was great. I hear it went down hill a little… By a little they must’ve meant from the peak of Everest to the god damn devils armpit. I will never go here again! It’s was just awful. Also soooo overpriced for drinks. I really couldn’t believe the prices the bartender was saying off to my friends. I’ll pay any price for a drink, but at a trashy dive bar in Lynn charging more than the good clubs in the city, that’s just a little nuts. So if anyone’s wondering about this place just stop! Save your money for a real club. You might even have more fun drinking at home with your cat (Not a lesbian reference) Not even an F rating justifies this place. Over priced, and noones there ever. And when people are there you think the entire crowed just came from Bayridge and all your nightmears. Avoid it at all cost I know will. I give this place a F — — — — — — - x 1000

Please let me know when great white is playing. Hopefully they bring the fireworks!

Apparently this place has some history in the area for being a safe place for gays to socialize. A recent visit made me think that «Fran» would probably be ashamed of what it’s become. Not only was the music awful, and hardly upbeat, the clientele is essentially the lowest of the low. You felt like guarding anything on you that was of value. I imagine drug deals are rampant in this place. Yeah it’s in Lynn, but if they held themselves to a higher standard, they might attract a nicer clientele on the North Shore who do not want to travel all the way to Boston for their gay bars. This place is the pits. The drinks weren’t good, it’s a cash-​only bar, it’s trashy, it’s a bad time.

Best Gay bar north of Boston — I only wish I lived closer so I could go to Frans more–

I will preface my review by stating I LOOOOVE dive bars. No floor too sticky or bathrm too rank-​a-​licious for this lady. BUT! I nd my dive bars to remember where they stand on the price scale… fran’s is waaaaay too expensive for a dive. There’s usually a cover, which again for a dive is a bit much.
On Sundays Latin night provides decent drag and gooooood music if you enjoy spinning around the dance floor to bachata, merengue & salsa. Since it’s located in the sketchy downtown Lynn area, it plays host to a number of «interesting» locals, imports & the youngins (it’s 18+ on most nights).
Why do I go back? Because I’m a sucker for a messy time, they have pool tables near tv’s and where else in Lynn can u experience the kind of debauchery that only a night at fran’s provides?

If I’m going slumming, at least make it cheap. So, we went to Fran’s, all the way in Lynn for a tea dance. A couple of friends were throwing an event, so we thought we’d rally and go support them.
The DJ they hired was great (Kristin Korpos, I think is her name), who’s a local Boston DJ and plays good music.
I could not stop gazing, wondering, being revolted, however, by the carpet: was it wax, or gum, or??? It’s all over the place. Please, take the $ 5 I paid for my Diet Coke and buy new carpet.
I thought it was a bit pricey for a dive bar – I mean, I have my standards! At least give me SOMETHING for my money! Drink specials? But I can’t really attest to what happens on a regular night here. A Sunday afternoon was all I needed, however.
Dodgy location, too. I’m not going back – probably. I can do local dives in the Dot that are way gay just fine, thank you.

Good drinks, good music and great people. I love Frans! This place always leaves you with a story to tell. The first time I went I danced 2 songs with a hot guy… and then I realized that he was a she. whoops! Not exactly my cup of tea, but she was a good dancer :) Another outing I encountered a very excited gay man who simpled adored my breasts daaahling! He found them so impressive that he pulled down my shirt and popped them out for a better look! OH MY! I was not expecting that at all, and thankfully I don’t embarrass easily. This kind of thing might freak some people out and scare them away forever, but not I.
Even though it’s technically a gay bar, you won’t feel bad if you’re not.

I’ve been here once: I don’t know if I would call it a full blown gay bar — they played techno music and it seemed full of straight Hispanic men hoping to get involved in a menage a trois with one of the more attractive lesbian couples. But I guess in the City of Sin, anywhere that plays anything other than Journey’s DON’T STOP BELIEVING or STYX’s COME SAIL AWAY is considered «queer.»

Ten years ago, when I moved to Lynn from Texas on a greyhound bus, I had no friends and nothing to do. Until my aunt introduced me to our neighborhood bar, Fran’s Place.
Being from smaller southern towns, I had never met a homosexual person in my life. But Fran’s helped me meet my destiny as a magnet for gay men.
I started off going on Tuesday nights for karaōke because I love to sing. Lucky for me, the lesbians really enjoyed my country singing and invited me back to do it every week.
Then I’d go on Saturdays for events and shows that my aunt would participate in and a little dancing. True, the dance floor is small, and at the time, they’d play the same Cher song 4 times throughout the night. But that’s what I liked about it. Small and cozy. Comfortable enough to play your favorite song over and over again like an adolescent girl. Where everybody knows your name. All are excepted. Homosexual, bisexual or heterosexual alike.
Last night, for the first time in about 5 years, I headed back out to Lynn with a friend for Noche Latino at Franny’s. There was an $ 8 cover charge and we paid $ 7.50 for every drink. (Though they do have $ 1 Coronas between 10 and 11pm on Sunday nights.) The place was busy but not unbearably packed. We danced comfortably on the tiny floor. Had a place to sit at a table when we wanted to rest. And we only saw one person get carried away by the police as the bar was closing.
Latino night also features a short drag show right around midnight starring Tish, who’s been at Fran’s since I moved here. Not the most exciting show I’ve ever seen, but still entertaining.
Might I also mention that if you’re out looking for a new soul mate, Noche Latino attracts eye candy suitable for any palate. I’d say, it’s not a bad way to spend a Sunday night.
Fran’s only loses one star for the bad PA system which was so loud and crackly.
Oh, if you want something a little more low key, you can hang out in the sports bar side, have a beer, and play a little pool.
Tacky or not, I like it.