Frankie’s, a moody new cocktail bar from the team behind Norcina, quietly slipped into the Marina in mid-February and is already trying to stake its claim with martini flights, riffs on the Negroni, and wine served by the glass from 1.5-liter magnums. Named for Franklin, the English Labrador who often holds court at Norcina, the bar pairs serious drinks with brick-oven seafood and sandwich bites from chef-owner Kaitlynn Bauman. The owners say they are aiming for upscale but welcoming, a living-room-style spot for pre-dinner rounds and late-night pours.
As reported by Eater San Francisco, Bauman and general manager Angelo De Lorenzi opened Frankie’s just a few doors down from Norcina and dressed the space with a dapper portrait of Franklin painted by artist Dan Hampe. They built the concept around two deep drinks programs, one for Negronis and one for martinis, plus a tight list of eight rotating cocktails and tasting flights. Bauman told Eater, “Frank is roaming around most nights, it’s upscale, but not stuffy at all.”
Hours and Where to Find It
Frankie’s Marina address and current hours are listed on its own site, which also includes contact details for private events and bookings. According to Frankie’s website, the bar is running evening service for now, with kitchen dishes available into the night. The site notes that Frankie’s shares a block with Norcina while keeping a distinct, cocktail-first identity.
What They’re Pouring and Serving
The menus lean into classics with some showmanship: dedicated Negroni and martini sections, cheese-infused martinis, a smoked signature drink called the Franklin, and wines by the glass poured from magnums to help keep bottles fresher, according to Eater San Francisco. From the Mugnaini brick oven, Bauman’s kitchen sends out raw Hog Island oysters, a lobster roll with preserved-lemon aioli, mini mortadella sandwiches, and other small plates designed to sit comfortably alongside cocktails. Eater also reports that the bar plans to stretch into longer hours starting March 2, with added afternoon service and a 10 a.m. weekend window for breakfast-leaning drinks.
Public business filings tie Frankie’s directly to the Norcina crew: documents for Caffe Norcina LLC list Kaitlynn Ann Bauman and Angelo Raymond De Lorenzi as managers, which lines up with the shared staffing and overlapping menu philosophy, per BizProfile. That paper trail makes Frankie’s read less like a one-off experiment and more like a deliberate neighborhood extension of Norcina’s approach to hospitality. For Marina regulars, it is another small, tightly focused hangout where cocktails and snacks are meant for passing around the table.
For an easy night out, Frankie’s early cocktail hours and martini flights set it up as a natural stop before a Norcina dinner or a mellow late-night round. With magnum pours and a fully committed martini program, Frankie’s looks positioned to be both a neighborhood living room and a spot where cocktail nerds are happy to linger.
