Frank’s Place on Market serves up a classic burger in Akron

On West Market Street on the edge of Highland Square, next door to Rockne’s at Merriman Road, sits Frank’s Place On Market.

The small neighborhood restaurant with the U-shaped bar is known for both its smiling servers and seasoned burgers. Since it opened in Akron, the “peoples’ bar” has been called “The Village” in the ’70s, “Samantha’s” for a couple years, then “The Woodstock.”

After the building sat vacant for a year, longtime owner Frank Horvath opened his namesake in 1993, giving repeat customers a go-to spot and favorite meal.

Patrons inside Frank's Place On Market in Akron's Highland Square neighborhood. — Patrons inside Frank’s Place On Market in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)

“When you start getting other restaurant owners in and employees,” Horvath said, “You know you’re doing something right.”

Inside the bar, diners mix and mingle as they reminisce about old flings and occasionally look up to check the score of a sports game on the big screens.

Visual nods to previous owners and names, like t-shirts with the “Samantha’s” logo on them, are still hanging on the walls, along with framed photos from special nights when small-town celebrities visited or family portraits dating back to 1999 were taken.

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Looking to visit Frank’s Place for the first time? Thursday is a night regulars patiently wait for — it’s burger night. For many, the West Market Classic is the ideal meal.

Every other burger on the menu is a spin-off of this original spread. Diners can expect an extra-fresh bun sourced locally from Massoli’s Italian Bakery in Akron. Massoli’s Bakery does not take retail orders, but Horvath has a longstanding relationship with the bakery, which also provides Swensons buns.

Outside the bun, everything is made in house. This includes the rich seasonings and homemade sauces (like Todd’s Smokey Chipotle or Franks) that are sure to stand out in the chargrilled burger-and-fries combo. Steak nights on Fridays are also a crowd pleaser.

Amelia Martinez, a cook at Frank's Place On Market, seasons a burger patty in the establishment's kitchen on Thursday, Aug. 6. — Amelia Martinez, a cook at Frank’s Place On Market, seasons a burger patty in the establishment’s kitchen on Thursday, Aug. 6. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)

Duo Harriet Calcagno and Sally Ede have shown up at Frank’s Place for the last six years for a weekly hangout.

What keeps Ede coming back?

“It’s just a friendly, old, crazy bar — it’s the diversity.” she said.

Frank's Place On Market in Akron's Highland Square neighborhood. — Frank’s Place On Market in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)

New owners, same atmosphere

Four years ago, Frank’s Place was bought again, this time by Hans Leitner and Alexandra Kokolari.

With new ownership came a few upgrades, including larger flatscreen televisions for sports, updating from handwritten guest checks to a digital point-of-sale computer, and adding five chilled glycol systems for crisper beer.

“People who have moved away, they know that they can come here and it’s going to be the same,” Leitner said. “It wasn’t like a chain came in here and took over.”

Horvath is still involved in making the burger spot feel the same, but it was the right time to sell, as he wanted to lean back into his personal life.

“It was like perfect timing,” Horvath said. “The opportunity came and I said, ‘I better do it now,’ and everything keeps going up. It’s like it hasn’t missed a beat.”

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