Frankie and Bennys recently opened in Cardiff Bay and is a popular family restaurant with a New York Italian theme.

The Venue
Frankie and Bennys is located close to IKEA in Cardiff Bay and has recently opened in a new development set to be filled with other eateries. At present it's not the most picturesque of settings but the restaurant is welcoming with music playing outside to create a 1950s’ atmosphere before you've even stepped through the door. There are booths and individual tables which can be clustered together to accommodate groups.

The decor continues the 1950s' American theme with dozens of photos and sporting memorabilia nailed to the walls.

The People
The atmosphere inside the restaurant is warm and staff greet you with genuine smiles but expect a long wait if you arrive at a peak time especially on weekends and evenings.

While undeniably chirpy, the music can start to grate when it's repeated for the tenth time and with the diners consisting mainly of young families and parties there's often plenty of screechy renditions of Happy Birthday To Yoooooou. It's clean and spacious but it's not the place to go for a romantic meal.

The Food
If the thought of Italian pizza and New York strip sirloin has you salivating then Frankie and Bennys is the place for you. Mushroom alfredo is a recommended starter with mushrooms in an irresistible mozzarella and garlic sauce. It comes with garlic ciabatta just to up the calorie count. Also on the menu are calamari, potato skins and a range of sharing platters which are an impressive way to start the meal, given their size, but they may not be the healthiest choice. In fact, Frankie and Bennys serves the antithesis of healthy eating so if you're not into comfort food, it's time to head elsewhere.

Gigantic homemade pizzas at either 10 or 15 inches make up the mains and are piled with a variety of toppings. If you don't manage to finish they'll package up the leftovers for you to take home. Also highly recommended is the black and blue burger where the blue cheese, Cajun spices and onion rings complement the juicy 6oz burger.

Frankie and Bennys offer some great desserts too so they’re worth saving space for. Impressive sundae glasses are filled with rich ice cream and are sized to share. Mama’s Chocolate Marble shouldn't be missed either. Although very rich and chocolatey it's offset with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that prevents it being too cloyingly sweet.

The Drink
As you'd expect at a family friendly restaurant there are plenty of soft drinks but there's also a range of house and premium wines and lagers, with Stella and Carling on tap. The house wines reflect their cheap price when it comes to the taste test but are bearable enough. The cocktail menu includes classics, non alcoholic options and pitchers. The Strawberry Shortcake is simply delicious with the Amaretto, cream and fresh strawberries giving it an alcoholic strawberry milkshake flavour.

The Last Word
Frankie and Bennys is great for families and large groups but at times it can be incredibly busy, with a wait of up to an hour. However the staff are friendly and helpful and you'll leave feeling like you’ve stepped out of the 1950s albeit several stone heavier.