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    Brown Downtown Napa

    4.5 (318 reviews)
    ModerateWine Bars
    Closed 10:30 am - 5:30 pm

    By appointment only

    Updated 3 months ago

    Brown Downtown Napa Photos

    BROWN DOWNTOWN NAPA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate

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    Recommended Reviews - Brown Downtown Napa

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    Reviews With Photos

    A little wine with shopping...
    Eman H.

    I've been a member of Brown Estate for 10+ years and every visit to Brown Downtown always feels special.

    Menu cover. The fine print explains why there aren't more photos.
    Cheryl W.

    This place felt exclusive and high end upon entering the establishment by elevator. The upstairs lounge setting was perfect for our small group. The staff were friendly, informative, and took time to describe the wines, we even were offered a surprise tasting of a wine not on our session. They also sell t-shirts.

    Wallpaper
    Nicole P.

    Brown Downtown is usually booked well in advance so we were lucky to finally secure a reservation on the date we wanted! Christian welcomed us upon entry and we got to sit at the bar. They were pretty busy but our service was still great. They have a modern decor with several different seating areas. We didn't get anything to eat because of a later reservation but all of the wines we sampled were good. If you go to the bathroom, please be sure to check out the wallpaper, it's cool and has some history. Unfortunately I don't remember our hosts name but she was nice and super accommodating to our party. Can't wait to come back in the future!

    Earl S.

    We returned to Napa during our annual trip yesterday and I wanted to support another Black-owned and -operated winery by purchasing a sampling of some of their appellations and taking them home. Brown was next on the list and we stopped in this afternoon after lunch. The spot is vibey, laid back, and easy. These is where our people are in downtown Napa, and we immediately felt welcome. We purchased a couple of bottles of their Betelgeuse Sauvignon Blanc. It was a quick in and out just like we wanted and needed today. I commend all to review the amazing website, visit and patronize them when in Napa, and learn the beautiful history of the Brown Estate. They have such a beautiful tasting room in downtown Napa that rivals others.

    Arija D.

    My friend made our reservation for Brown Winery located in Downtown Napa. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was along for the ride. We entered off the street and once you walk in there is an elevator you will take upstairs. As soon as we stepped off the elevator, we were greeted with a warm smile from the woman at the desk. We had no issues checking in and she led us to our cozy seating area. Brown Winery is artsy, yet classy. The dim lighting makes this place perfect for a GNO or date night. The vibe here is upscale and easily a 10/10! We did the wine flight and our wine educator, Cynthia, was amazing! Cynthia was friendly, personable, and attentive throughout our experience. She gave us a little history about the Brown Estate and also gave us background on each wine we selected. They also have merch available, so of course I had to snag one of their soft t-shirts! This wine tasting experience is one for the books! If you needed a sign, this is it! Go ahead and make your reservation NOW!

    Some of the best wallpaper I've ever seen
    Stephanie R.

    My friends and I did a little wine tasting in Downtown Napa where we could walk from tasting room to tasting room. We started our day at Brown Downtown Napa. Their wines are from the oldest black-owned winery in the Napa Valley, and the Brown family has spent the last 25+ years dedicated to some excellent wines. The tasting room was open at 10:30 and we got one of the last appointments online. Make sure to book early! The location was a little hard to find because the sign was small and high in the air--we entered with another party having the same issue. Nonetheless, once we got inside, we absolutely loved the vibe. Brick walls, great sofas, cool bar, well-set tables ready for our appointments. We got a few different tasting options so we could sample a variety of wines and they were all so wonderful. The wine glasses were even intentionally chosen--real crystal, delicate stems, incredible quality. They really added to the tasting experience. Our favorite wines were the Rosemary's Zin and the Betelgeuse Rosé. Our wine host was very knowledgeable, kind, and attentive. She gave us great background not only of the winery, but also of each wine. We needed a place to eat after and she also led us to a great cafe down the street. On the way out we stopped in the restrooms and my Bay Area heart was OBSESSED with the wallpaper. Will definitely go back the next time I'm planning wine tasting Downtown. Excellent way to start a day of wine tasting and support a black-owned business.

    Jazmine C.

    We went into downtown Napa to try Brown Downtown. While waiting for our table, we popped next door to their HQ pop-up. The wines there were tasty, and they even served us some delicious truffle chips. Once we checked in for our tasting reservation, our server Dani was amazing! We ordered two wine tastings -- one was all reds, mostly Zinfandels, and mine was a "choose your own experience" where I requested a Chardonnay and a Sirah. Dani surprised me with the other two wines based on our conversation, which made the experience feel very personalized. I loved that we got to try wines from a Black-owned winery -- it's rare and felt great to support a local Black-owned business. We also got their small cheese sampler platter (serves 1-3 people), and it was fantastic -- the cheddar cheese bites were especially delicious. There space, though small, was very open with a minimalist design. Their wine glasses were super light and made the tasting experience even better. Overall, it was a fun, welcoming, and memorable experience.

    Tania A.

    My family and I had an unforgettable wine tasting experience at Brown Downtown, Napa! Based off of several recommendations from friends and family - I definitely went with the expectation that this was going to be an elevated experience. This Black-owned gem truly impressed all of us! I particularly loved The of Brown Cabernet Sauvignon - it was bold, beautiful and full of character. The atmosphere was intimate and welcoming, and the staff passionate and knowledgeable. A unique spot that blends culture, quality, and community. Don't miss this one if you love a great red! And I highly recommend their Chaos Theory.

    Charcuterie board
    Lisette C.

    Had a great experience wine tasting at Brown. My sommelier was knowledgeable about wines and the history of the Brown Winery. The charcuterie board had a lovely selection of cheeses, homemade cookies and jam. The establishment is beautiful and I definitely will be back.

    Felicia A.

    We couldn't leave Napa without doing at least one wine tasting, and we chose Brown Downtown Napa because it's Black-owned and has amazing reviews. We walked into their downtown tasting room and were greeted right away. The staff explained that they actually have two different tasting locations: the one we entered carries the wines you can find in stores, and the other features what they called the "OG" wines the original wines from the Brown vineyard. Since the OG tasting also came with cheese boards, we decided to head there. The staff kindly walked us over and even took us up the elevator. Even though we didn't have a reservation, they welcomed us in and we only had to wait about five minutes. Our Wine Educator, Cynthia, was wonderful, knowledgeable, friendly, and patient which was perfect since we're not wine drinkers. She presented us with three tasting options, and we went with the Educator's Mix for a more customized experience. We also ordered the small cheese board to nibble on while we tasted. I loved the crackers and jam. Didn't eat too much cheese. We sat at the barstools and enjoyed the relaxed, stylish vibe. Out of the five wines I tasted, I really enjoyed two of them. I'm definitely a wine amateur, so that felt like a win! I also appreciated that they kept the water flowing so I could pace myself. Cynthia wished us a happy anniversary which was nice. We had such a great experience and took lots of pictures, bought a t-shirt as a keepsake, and of course, hubby had to check out the famous bathroom wallpaper everyone talks about. It was a fun, laid back, and memorable anniversary outing. I'd absolutely recommend Brown Downtown Napa for anyone looking for great wine, great service, and a welcoming atmosphere.

    Rosalind C.

    I have experienced Brown Estate's beautiful tasting room many times over the years. My 1st visit was when my Alma mater did a buyout for an alumni event! You must have a reservation since they don't really take walk ins often. The wine servers are always so friendly and are well versed on the wines. I love that they always have books by Black authors on display and the vibe and decor is giving NY vibes with a California twist. My fav wines right now are their Zinfandel and their Chaos Theory but everything is good! Great spot to take 1st time Napa visitors! Do note this is not a lounge all day time of spot they will nicely and gently know when you need to wrap it up .

    Alicia W.

    First black owned winery I've been too and hopefully not the last. Happy to see one in Napa. Very pleasant experience, clean and well put together establishment. Myserver was great, very detailed and knowledgeable about the wines. I choose to go with the white and red flight. I give it a 10/10.

    Erica B.

    Brown downtown!! A cute little winery and BLACK OWNED and fabulous! made reservations for a wine tasting, and were greeted with the nicest staff. The winery was beautifully decorated and had smooth R&B music playing in the background l. We selected a wine tasting where we had a chance to chat with the sommelier and learn about the delicious wines. Some of the wines were not that great and in my eyes, the port stole the show! It was robust, sweet and with 19% alcohol, I couldn't leave without wanting to purchase a bottle. You're provided with a card and list of wines offered, so you're able to join their membership and either get wine shipped home, or purchased on the spot. For a girlie who overpacked! Shipping to home was a great offer I couldn't refuse. I'll definitely return to this winery and be able to try the food pairing selection. Only downside is sitting at the bar, you weren't able to stay after you finished your tasting. As your tasting is a 1hr time slot... nonetheless, I'm coming back!

    Restroom wallpaper with some northern ca legends

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    Page 1 of 8

    Ask the Community - Brown Downtown Napa

    I have a group of only 4 people, do I still need to make a reservation? Also, do we have to do a full flight? Or can we just buy a bottle or glass?

    I would make a reservation for a party of 4. You can purchase a bottle. The have a full tasting menu and you get to taste all whites, red, or a combination depends on the tasting you choose. Enjoy!

    What kind if food?

    Hey! They're pairings with wine and they're really amazing. Pairings at wine tastings usually… Read more

    View All 5 Questions

    Review Highlights - Brown Downtown Napa

    The tasting room is a wonderful introduction to Brown Estate to make their wines accessible to more people.

    Mentioned in 42 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Housley Napa Valley - Inside bar

    Housley Napa Valley

    4.8(512 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    This weekend was my second time visiting the tasting room and it was just as great as the first…read moretime. 1. Their bottles are perfect for a novice wine drinker or full-fledged aficionado. The Pinot and 2020 Estate Cab are my favorites. 2. Tastings are affordable and the playlist is a mix of oldies and groovy RNB music. 3. The living room/couch set up is COMFORTABLE with a great view of all the goodies for purchase. 4. Adam Housley walked in, greeted all the patrons, and truly made us feel welcomed. The staff are already incredibly kind and well informed, but his surprise appearance was the cherry on top.

    My friend and I Ubered an hour North to Napa for an afternoon away. We didn't plan much besides our…read morelunch. After we finished eating, I frantically researched (read: checked Yelp) for a winery to visit. Housley seemed to fit the bill--good reviews, dog-friendly (we had her dog with us), and what seemed to be a reasonable tasting price. We get there and we realize it's owned by Tamera Mowry (who is now Mowry-Housley!) There's a picture of her and her husband (a former baseball player) in the window. We're sort-of starstruck. Shortly after, her husband (and the winery's owner) Adam walks up with their daughter and asks us how we're doing. We continue to be starstruck. Service was wonderful. Seating was comfy. The views weren't the best (we were drinking on the sidewalk and there's a parklet too.) The 5 wines for $29 was not bad, but the size of the pours was lacking. The first pour was the smallest and then slowly they seemed to give us more (maybe they heard me!) Honestly, the pricier wines tasted better. I wish our wine tasting could've been free if we bought two bottles or something--I would've done that! Cute merch and store with goodies inside. Bathroom is clean. Would be back!

    Photos
    Housley Napa Valley - Interior from booth

    Interior from booth

    Housley Napa Valley - Inside

    Inside

    Housley Napa Valley - First pour of my tasting... 5 for $25!

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    First pour of my tasting... 5 for $25!

    Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar

    Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar

    4.2(1.1k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Full bar

    My wife and I had a wonderful experience dining at Carpe Diem. I attended an event here recently…read moreand knew I had to return for a date night. The dining room is small, but really lovely. Nice touches adorn the restaurant throughout. The menu has a lot of wonderful options. The service, provided by Alex, was excellent. We started with the Dungeness Crab arancini, which are probably the best thing we ate all evening, and that's saying a lot because everything we had was great. These arancini are perfectly fried crab meat rolled into a ball served over a delicious tartar sauce. I wish I had 3 orders of this, at least. We ordered the soup of the day and their bread service. The soup was a white bean and sausage and it was perfectly salty and fatty. The bread and butter was a perfect accompaniment. The Carpe Diem salad was also really special. It had these Cabernet soaked dried cranberries that were so good and tart. For an entree, we ordered the short ribs which come over a risotto. It felt a little heavy, and maybe the sauce could've used a little acid to cut the heaviness. It was still really delicious though. For dessert, we had the espresso crème brûlée. This was just the icing on the cake of a great meal. I love Carpe Diem and hope to come back soon!

    So I decided to bring my pup out to a restaurant since she graduated from boarding school. CD was…read moreabsolutely welcoming to have a small dog inside (and outside). I sat at the high tops at the bar for happy hour. My dog has been behaving amazingly since boarding school and being able to put her obedience to the test at CD was amazing because everyone was so kind. To drink I had the HH margarita. Then I had the pork belly which was phenomenal, though I wasn't expecting a one piece pork belly--thought it was going to be multiple pieces. It was so good. To drink I also had the carpeninsula--so good! Love this spot and thank you for welcoming me and my pup so warmly

    Photos
    Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar - Happy Honeymoon

    Happy Honeymoon

    Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar - Private dining room

    Private dining room

    Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar - Happy honeymoon

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    Happy honeymoon

    Alpha Omega Collective - Nice restrooms.

    Alpha Omega Collective

    4.8(94 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    Excellent wine tasting, our host really knew her wine and she was so fun to talk to…read more We ordered a cheese and charcuterie plate and it was perfect. The crackers they had in there were gluten free - hallelujah! And the ambiance was nice, it was very aesthetically pleasing. Overall a lovely experience.

    This tasting room is a hidden gem, beautifully situated on the corner of First Street and Randolph…read more The space blends charm and elegance, featuring beautiful wood (BW) throughout and a vintage ceiling fan system that adds a touch of character and cool comfort. Everyone having wine chose the Signature Flight, which included one white and three reds. I appreciated the option to substitute a Sauvignon Blanc for the Chardonnay, a nice personal touch. Each wine was distinctive, balanced, and delicious in its own way. You could really tell the care and craftsmanship behind every pour. What really stood out was the hospitality. Our host was not only incredibly thoughtful but impressively knowledgeable. She explained where each wine's grapes were grown, described the flavor profiles we could expect, and added insights into how the terroir influenced the wine -- all without it ever feeling too technical or over our heads. Even better, our designated driver was offered iced tea, lemonade, or an Arnold Palmer, which I really appreciated. It's always a plus when tasting rooms consider the full group's experience, not just the drinkers. The vibe was so warm and relaxing, we ended up staying for over two hours. It felt less like a stop and more like a true experience. Definitely one of the highlights of our time in downtown Napa.

    Photos
    Alpha Omega Collective
    Alpha Omega Collective
    Alpha Omega Collective - Wine Flights

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    Wine Flights

    Arbaretum at Napa Valley Distillery - Pawcktail: Pumpkin puree big ice cube w/ beef broth, coconut milk ($5) - Tater Tot LOVED it!

    Arbaretum at Napa Valley Distillery

    4.5(197 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    This was a pleasant find- as it was something that felt uniquely different to the area. While…read morefollowing their social media, they advertised a new spring cocktail- Wabi Sabi. With a wasabi and fennel infused vodka, it was too unique not to be curious about. Upon arriving and looking over the menu, SEVERAL cocktails stood out to me as intriguing to try. I started with the Wabi Sabi which was as interesting as it sounded. While I didn't pick up on fennel, you do pick up on the wasabi, but in the most subtle of ways. Think maybe lime/ginger sparkling water with just a hint of spice. Refreshing and different for sure. I also tried the Mucha Lucha w/ cilantro infused Siete Leguas Blanco, chorizo infused mezcal and cubes made of hot sauce that make the drink have a bit more of a kick as you allow them to melt. I did the HH chips and guac which was also accompanied with a tasty Chipotle sauce. Damn good actually. It'd be excellent served in a variety of ways. The deviled eggs aren't going to blow your mind, but I like that you get 4 different ones- and simply because I love eggs, I'd order them again. (They just wouldn't be a dish that brings me back). The bartender was great- helpful and attentive, even as more people began to filter in for an early afternoon. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Napa to check out some other menu options.

    IMHO Our friend is a…read morespirit club member at Napa Valley Distillery. As a Bar Club member, one of his benefits is a complimentary club cocktail-of-the-day at The ArBARetum. So of course, after our spirit tasting at Napa Valley, we walked a short distance to the ArBARetum. We grabbed a table outside and the two gentlemen in our group got the complimentary cocktails. We also ordered the Pastrami Nachos, which was a big hit. We had a short but enjoyable visit here but didn't want to be late for our dinner reservation, right next door at Scala! Of course, we'll return for more great cocktails and friendly service!

    Photos
    Arbaretum at Napa Valley Distillery - Honeydew I Look Good ($19) + Cleared For Takeoff ($20) - Look at the detailing on those ice cubes!

    Honeydew I Look Good ($19) + Cleared For Takeoff ($20) - Look at the detailing on those ice cubes!

    Arbaretum at Napa Valley Distillery - Bacán: Pisco w/ pistachio orgeat, lime, pistachio foam ($19), Zen: Cachaca w/ oolong shochu, pandan ($19), Gazoz Mocktail ($12)

    Bacán: Pisco w/ pistachio orgeat, lime, pistachio foam ($19), Zen: Cachaca w/ oolong shochu, pandan ($19), Gazoz Mocktail ($12)

    Arbaretum at Napa Valley Distillery - Four for you glen coco and and tres pasos al cielo

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    Four for you glen coco and and tres pasos al cielo

    Brown Downtown Napa - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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