Pool Hall Review - Incontro, Franklin, MA

July 13, 2009

Yesterday hubby and I and another couple, let's call them "Mr. and Mrs. Wacky", went to a restaurant and pool hall in Franklin, MA.

Mr. Wacky enjoys checking out pool halls around the area. This gave me an idea to write reviews about pool halls, so here is my first one.

This place is call "Incontro" located at 860 West Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038.

This place is beautiful. Hard wood everywhere, very upscale and stylish. This is a place you would bring your in-laws or clients to if you want to impress them.

(Above: Outside of Incontro)

(Above: Outside of Incontro)

The place opened in January 2004, and was originally a mill. It has been beautifully restored. There is plenty of parking at the back. It has a large outside patio for dining, a formal dining room, and on the second floor, a full bar and twelve Brunswick Gold Crown tables.

(Above: One of twelve tables)

We went on a Sunday because it was free pool if you buy drinks or food, and you can play all day / night. So we first ordered appetizer's and a few drinks. We ordered onion rings which was $6 and I think it was sliced prosciutto with mozzarella, basil and marinated tomotoes, I don't remember seeing the prosiutto anywhere on the plate. As for drinks, Mr. Wacky had a screwdriver, Mrs. Wacky and a white wine, I had a Cosmopolitan, hubby wasn't thirsty yet. The drinks weren't cheap. My Cosmopolitan was $11.50 for a glass, and on the menu, a martini was also that much too.

Smack in the middle of the pool area, was a very long table with leather bar stools lined on both sides of the table. The table was great because there was plenty of space for our stuff, food and drinks. The leather bar stools were slippery, but comfortable.

The tables were not bad. They were clean but slow, not the best, but decent. The balls were Brunswick Centennial balls, which they kept clean. The lighting over the pool tables could be better, I guess they were going more for atmosphere rather than playability. There were six tables on one side of the long table, and six on the other side. The spacing between each table was a little bit close to each other. The distance between each table was shy of a pool stick length. Someone said that if you were playing by the windows, it was hard when you had to break. Because no one else was on the side we were playing at, we did not have to worry about it.

(Above: Full stocked bar)

We also had dinner there. Mr. Wacky ordered a steak which came with mash potatoes, spinach and portabella for $25, Mrs. Wacky ordered a soup, salad and a Margherita pizza, hubby and I shared the Kobe Beef Sliders with Carmalized Onions, Cheddar Cheese, Fries and Spicy Siracha Aioli for $12.

Mr. Wacky's steak was excellent, Mrs. Wacky's soup and pizza was delicious, our Kobe beef sliders was to die for. I wonder what "spicy siracha aioli" was.

(Above: Steak with potatoes, spinach and portabella mushrooms, $25.00)

(Above: Margherita pizza)

(Above: Soup)

Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of our Kobe burgers.

The night consisted of playing pool for seven hours (no charge), six alcoholic drinks, one non-alcoholic drink, two appetizers, one soup, one salad, one pizza, two main dish, our total came up to $162.00 for four people including tip. Pretty hefty for a night out, but it was a fun night out.

Overall, food was excellent, drink was good, ambience was excellent, service was ok, pool table was not bad.

If you are in the area, be sure to check this place out, but be forwarned of the expensive drinks and food.

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