I used to live in Brighton and Browns was the place to go. After a long time away, I went back to brekkie excited to experience Browns again. I ordered the veggie breakfast - the toast wasn't toasted & the portobello mushroom, beans and tomato were cold. The poached eggs, however, were lovely. Living in Sydney where brekkie is a cultural touchstone, I'm used to a much higher standard - I was the first and only customer at Browns this morning and it really was a complete and utter disappointment. The staff member dealing with me was really lovely though and tried to make up for it. Overall, a pretty dire standard for what's meant to be an upmarket bistro. Sadly, I won't be be going back. read more

There seems to be two parts to Browns on this street, we also went to one that was more a wine bar and they said they were closing at 20:45 on a Sunday! Anyway, back to the one serving breakfast.... Sunday morning and we wanted breakfast. Browns had been recommended. Tried to book, but to no avail, nor via the telephone system. Just couldn't get to speak to a human being. Walked there and took the chance. A few tables on the front were occupied, but all clear inside. My wife ordered a coffee, and I ordered a fruit juice. If the latter had been fresh then I could have understood the price (£3.50). I know my orange juices and this was made from concentrate. My wife wanted: scramble egg with smoked salmon on toast (note: I can't see listed on their site, but it was on the menu given to us), unfortunately, they didn't have any smoked salmon. Amazing! So, she then asked for the mashed avocado on toast (again not shown on the site menu). No avocados! This was beginning to get like the cheese shop sketch from Monty Python. In the end, scrambled eggs on toast! My wife commented to me that these items are easy to get by nipping down to the local supermarket. Now on this same menu I chose the traditional breakfast.... On the site it says: Traditional breakfast Smoked bacon, outdoor bred pork sausages, two eggs, baked beans, flat mushrooms, black pudding, grilled tomato, sourdough toast, Netherend Farm butter I declined the grilled vine tomatoes, not on the above. There was no black pudding up for offer. The mushrooms were not of the flat variety. So, here we go: Smoked bacon - overcooked and difficult to eat. Sausages - well overcooked and near burnt and brittle. Fried Eggs - overcooked and dry, with crispy edges. Very small mushrooms cooked to death, very black and greasy as hell. Toast- nearly burnt. Butter - very little, and must be on WW2 rationed supplies. If this is really the best they can do, given that I was the only one ordering breakfast at that time, then I'm not going back. In hindsight, I wished I'd taken a picture. read more

Browns Brighton - The Bill - British Near Me - Brighton, BNH

One word...disappointing! 3* is generous I have been to many Browns over the years, specifically those in London. Generally speaking you know the menu off by heart, you know exactly what you are going to get. Its a formula yes but mainly safe and sure Ok they were busy but it was by then mid afternoon; and we wanted a coffee and dessert that wasn't really available at Ole Ole We went in; you could see there was room but we waited patiently till finally led to the back of the room and sat by the loo with a broken door that you had to open with a table knife...hmm We had explained we just wanted coffee and dessert (to my mind the "and" was relevant here!) and eventually we received a menu. The waiter took the order...and we waited...the coffees came (definitely not the best you've ever had!) after a while...but no dessert, so after 20 minutes it seemed a little excessive and I asked where the desserts were..he went off to find them and returned saying they were on their way They arrived, by then the coffee long gone...a spiced plum mess and a brownie...I hate eating in relay and it wasn't worth the wait anyway Not an experience to be repeated...should have gone back to Down to Earth for another iced cake! Given all the coffee shops available in Brighton, how did we fail to find a decent place read more

We had a great time at Browns. We came with a two locals and we had a surprise birthday celebration. Our waiter was really nice and gave me recommendations on everything from wine to dessert. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. We plan on making the trip down from London to Brighton again because we enjoyed our time so much. read more

Browns Brighton - British Near Me - Brighton, BNH

Next door to each other, Browns Bar and Brasserie is part of a chain that doesn't sit too well in eclectic and independent Brighton. The restaurant serves up classic 'British' dishes such as steak and chips, roasts, and fish. There's also a selection of fish, salads and pasta dishes, and breakfasts and cream teas. Although there is a wide variety of classic meals on the menu, the atmosphere and decor of the brasserie bring it down a bit. You can see what the place is aiming to achieve - a kind of stylish, sophisticated and chic place wanting to attract the young professionals of Brighton, however the faux leather seating and dim lighting give Browns a very 'chain restaurant' vibe - you could be in any one of their restaurants across the country, and the place doesn't capture Brighton's uniqueness very well at all. But the bar is a different story - yes the brown leather (see what they did there?!) and dim lighting still exists, but the cocktail menu is vast and expanding, and drinks are concocted by talented and passionate bar staff. For four nights of the week many of the cocktails are a mere £3.50 each, a bargain considering the lack of good, affordable cocktails in the city. So, a thumbs up for the bar and a thumbs down for the restaurant. But I always think cocktails are the most important part of eating out anyway! read more

Browns Brighton - Kajuma Kajuma! - British Near Me - Brighton, BNH

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We arrived in Brighton for a concert and had just over an hour to kill before the show so decided to grab a quick bite to eat at Brown's. Having been to a couple of others in the chain I wasn't expecting the experience to be as good as it was but I put my faith in you Yelpers! The decor lent no clue to the fact it is a chain restaurant, it had the feel of a one off with a fairly large yet still cosy floorplan. Service was good, we were given a choice of seating area and our waiter (Maz) was polite and attentive, suggesting accompaniments to actually suit our choices rather than sounding as though he was just trying to up sell on sides. Food was good, again exceeding my expectations from other Brown's outlets. Presentation was thoughtful and rivalled that of much more expensive places I have eaten. All told a good solid 4* experience. Two mains with drinks came in at just under forty quid. read more

Browns Brighton - Crab and king prawn linguini - British Near Me - Brighton, BNH

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Browns Bar and Brasserie is a bit of an oddity, a bar-cum-restaurant perched in the main Lanes district. It's not necessarily the idea of mixing a bar and restaurant: it's the sheer dullness of the whole set-up. Part of a larger chain of bar/restaurants, Brown's is a bit of a sore thumb in Brighton's independent drinking scene, especially in the middle of town like this. What is clearly supposed to look, sound and feel like a stylish, modern bar just feels a bit awkward and overpriced. After a quick look through Brown's website, it's interesting to see how different the various branches across the country are. However, this just makes it far more disconcerting how much Brown's stands out from the local competition. It's like this place wants to be the best, the biggest and the most exclusive place in town: instead, the whole shop front and look of the place screams "unapproachable ". When I did finally get up the courage to go in, I found Brown's to be perfectly nice, if overpriced. The menu has all of the posh restaurant staples, and the prices certainly reflect that: the food is well cooked and worth it, it's just not somewhere you'd want to go too often. The drinks are also a little on the expensive side: again, this isn't a direct criticism, just a note. I can't really recommend Brown's: too much about it is out of place and a little off. It's very pricey for the area it's in, and would fit much better into the New Road/North Laine area. As it is, this behemoth seems to sit on its own, and as such seem uninviting. The food is excellent, just very expensive... And I'm not sure I'd want to go to a chain if I'm spending that much. No, no, not really for me, maybe for you? read more

I really like Browns. Next to Browns restaurant is Browns Bar where you can enjoy pre or post dinner drinks. The restaurant itself is classy and relaxed. Is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Food is relatively basic but really tasty. Example dinner would be a gourmet burger with chunky homemade fries. Not budget prices but equally a meal there won't overly break the bank. Great value. The staff are always extremely friendly and will go out of their way to help. I left some birthday cards I had bought in there the last time I went - and it was no trouble for them to return them to me. Definitley worth a visit. read more

In a city that prides itself on such statutes as originality, eccentricity and vibrancy Browns finds itself in an unfamiliar position. Having until recently thought of it as a solitary establishment, I was intrigued to learn that Browns has many other branches throughout the UK. What's interesting is how this fact improves your opinion of the place. In this age of blind profit hunting it's very impressive to see a chain that allows its branches to develop their own character. Brighton's Browns has a clean, light décor that reeks of style and quality and their use of greenery makes the interior feel more homely than your average high-end bistro. On my visit I was treated to a perfectly cooked haunch of venison served with spinach and creamy parsnip mash. Whilst many places might neglect the details of such a simple dish, Browns executed this subtlety with perfection. The balance of flavours worked perfectly and I was left more than satisfied. I started with some wonderfully soft black pearl scallops served with a tasty lemon and pea risotto and drizzled in a tangy chilli dressing. With a larger helping this could have easily made it as a delicious main course however, it was just the preface I desired: light, warming and perfectly sized. However, if I was looking for a real high quality experience I'd be more willing to spend my money elsewhere. I may only be nitpicking but the service could be a bit better. Whilst friendly, the waiters seemed a little nervous and this came to a head when half a glass of champagne was accidently poured on the table instead of the glass. The lack of double settings suggests they cater more for groups than for couples, which makes sense when you consider their slightly average price to quality ratio. For example, a group of people willing to split the bill would probably be more forgiving of Browns' shortcomings. As a result it's the perfect place to bring the family for a special meal. You can get a New Years Eve dinner for £35, a four course Christmas Lunch for £50 or just dine from the normal menu for about £30 per head. All in all it's a great place for food and drinks and well worth the visit. I'd certainly eat there again! read more

With a separate bar and restaurant a few doors along from each other, Browns caters to a variety of needs. The restaurant is nice, the food is good and the menu is - very broadly - British cuisine. They do breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. We had dinner there a little while ago and our waitress who was clearly very busy still managed to serve us well. In my opinion the bar is comparatively the better to the two outlets; it does a large selection of affordable cocktails, and the décor with dark wood, black leather seating and mirrors all over the place is swish enough to make you feel like you are sitting somewhere decent, even though it is actually a chain and the drinks are comparatively good value. The bar isn't very big though, and it does get very busy on weekend evenings. read more

I came here on the Christmas menu and pre ordered in advance in November with a helpful lady on email. Because we had booked so far in advance we had a glass of Prosecco included in our offer. We also pre ordered our drinks of a bottle of red wine and two ciders for my partner and were told that we would receive a 10% discount on our drinks for pre ordering. When we arrived on the evening we were seated by the host at a table and at the table next to us I could see two ciders being the brand that my partner had ordered. After ten mins of being seated the waitress came over and huffed commenting 'why are your drinks on the wrong table'. The restaurant was relatively empty but we were crammed on a small table for two in the corner even though we had luggage with us as we were heading back to London straight after. Walk ins who had not pre booked, like we did five weeks in advance, were given tables big enough for four when there were only two in their party. The waitress eventually moved the two ciders over to our table that were warm by that point and we explained that the cider is for my partner only and he didn't want two at the same time. The waitress then asked what I would like to drink and I had to explain that we had prosecco included and she replied that they didn't have a note of that. Having to awkwardly bring up my confirmation email to show her on my phone we were then brought out the prosecco. The main course came and still no wine or mention of it. As we pre ordered red wine I would have expected this on the table when we arrived to air or at least an offer of bringing it out. I mentioned the wine and the waitress said she had no note of it and I explained the 10% discount and pre order. She checked her paperwork again and said there was no record of it but she will 'honour the discount if that's what you've been told'. She mentioned that we would receive the discount off the cider. We left the wine as we were too far gone through the meal at this point, we didn't order anymore drinks and when the bill came she hadn't removed the discount for the cider. To save any more hassle we didn't say anything as it was pennies but I do question why we bothered to preorder when it was such a shambles. Food was actually good, the one star is purely based on the shambles of the service. read more

Browns Brighton - British Near Me - Brighton, BNH

Browns is one of those rare places where it's impossible to go wrong with anything that you order. One of Brighton's most well-known restaurants, it has a well-deserved, excellent reputation. Although slightly at the pricier end drinks-wise at between £5-£8 a cocktail, the food offers undeniably brilliant value for money. At around £5-9 for a starter and £10-£18 for a main course, it's not a particularly cheap evening out, but it is an excellent value one. The interior of the place feels distinctly continental bistro-style seating, lots of plants, a huge floor-to-ceiling window, specials written in swirly writing on chalk boards and incredibly friendly, well-trained staff. I actually cannot fault the atmosphere of the place. It isn't stunning, but it complements the menu and food pricing perfectly. In the same way as the food, you get what you pay for in atmosphere too. You want a bit more detail about the food? OK then. As an aperitif cocktail, I ordered a chilled white port with Fever Tree tonic which was absolutely delicious and not bad value as far as the rest of the drinks menu goes at just £4.25. For starters, I had the goat's cheese stuffed mushrooms (£5.25) which were served with a garnish of rocket. I've got to say they were gorgeous. I don't know what the goat's cheese was flavoured with, but it was marvellously sharp and tangy. As a main course, I went for the prosciutto-wrapped chicken breast stuffed with telagio, accompanied by wilted spinach and butternut squash (£12.95) with a side of chunky chips (£2.95). It was to die for the strong taste of the telagio had spread through the entire chicken breast, which had been pan-fried to make it go deliciously crisp. Mouth-wateringly good. The chunky chips, which were hand-cut and tasted almost garlicky, were so delicious I'm craving them again just writing this. The service, although a tiny bit slow, was impeccable otherwise. Our waitress was lovely, and when my friends' sparkling wine was served in a chipped glass (which she didn't realise until half-way through the drink), another brand-new full glass was brought over in the blink of an eye. Top marks from me I've definitely got to go here again soon. read more

Went here for a meal on a Friday night. Staff were very polite and helpful, and didn't bother us too much! The food was lovely I had chicken in prosciutto and my friends had fish & chips and a burger. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meal however the burger was still pink. Atmosphere was great and would certainly go back again. Maybe next time for afternoon tea! read more

I came here for a Birthday celebration, there were 12 of us. The table we were given was well laid and the staff helpful. The menu was modern British with lots of pasta, soups and fish dishes. They also had all your burgers, steaks etc. All the food was well cooked and of good quality and there was a large selection of drinks. However, there is a 10% surcharge for bottles of wine ordered by parties of 8 or more! Why? The staff were very attentive and th decor very nice and light. Not as expensive as it could be. read more

Been here quite a few times when in Brighton on business, and this is where we like to go when we have something to celebrate. The food is always good and the staff friendly and helpful. It is a little expensive but worth it for a special occasion. read more

Always great service and great food! Love that they've got bubble and squeak on the menu!

Been there a few times and like it. Food is good, service is good (usually).... a little on the expensive side, but it does reflect the quality. read more

Staff were obviously very busy, we went on Friday night so that's understandable. However, we found the staff to be very rude and short with us. Took a long time to get the attention of the waiters and whenever we managed to, they didn't attend to us in a polite manner, with one setting up a table next to us whilst we were trying to complain about the steak and telling us very rudely to talk to someone else about our problem (I believe she said she was the manager so couldn't take our query...) Steak ordered rare came blue and freezing cold, left other half with a stomach ache that lasted until the morning. They did take the steak back to the kitchen to be cooked more, and when it came back it came with new garlic butter, which was completely frozen. The prawn and crab linguine was ok, very heavily flavoured and left me feeling a bit off. Considering the price of this restaurant (over £43 for 2 mains and 2 drinks) it was one of the most disappointing meals we have had. Won't be going again! read more

For a long time I'd wanted to see what Browns was all about. Having been impressed by the exterior I was pleasantly surprised to find the interior equally pleasing. You'd never know it was a chain restaurant and even when you find out your impression of the place doesn't diminish. It has plenty of character and plenty of style. For somewhere that markets itself as a high-end bistro, however, it has a few shortcoming albeit minor ones. First of all out waiter seemed very unsure of himself and had trouble making natural-sounding conversation whilst serving. His ability to hold four plates at a time was under no question but unfortunately he followed that by pouring champagne all over the table. There's something about the atmosphere that makes you unsure whether you're in a trendy bistro or a family restaurant and the lack of double table settings does seem to suggest that families bring Browns a lot of business. As such I'd recommend this place to anyone looking to enjoy a great meal with friends or family. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the food, in fact I go as far as to say it's pretty special. Don't be fooled by the façade though, it's not the ultra-high-end brasserie it wants to be so if you're going to spend over £80 on a two-person meal there are better options. That said, I'd would definitely eat here again. read more

Browns if my favourite restaurant in brighton. The staff are efficient and very welcoming. The food is great and good value for money. My home away from home.... Keep up the good work. read more

Gorgeous cocktails, but ruined by rude staff, and music so loud it requires shouting to be heard. Great location for a delicious cocktail before heading on somewhere else, but stay there any longer and you might find yourself increasingly frustrated by the quick tempered staff and painfully long wait to get served. read more