Browns is a classy place to enjoy your meal when you feel like dressing up. Ambiance is fabulous of course, and service is also very friendly & professional. As I looked at the menu prior to coming here, I was oscillating whether I want the lobster risotto or the famous ribeye that they are known for. In retrospect, I should have gone for the rib-eye, which was the safer bet, but I already had steak for lunch, plus, was feeling adventurous and so went for the lobster instead. Oops, my bad... The lobster hardly stood out and the risotto was undercooked. The risotto was also very bland, which I actually appreciate because I like my foods bland rather than salty. I was proud of myself for finishing my dinner, but dessert was necessary to make up for my underwhelming experience. The molten chocolate lava cake wasn't amazing, just exactly what you would expect it to taste like. Again, I think Browns deserves another shot considering they are known for their rib-eye steak. read more

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Nice space, v friendly staff, good wine and menu choice. Enjoyable meal, good portions and quality ingredients.

The afternoon tea has the best tea sandwiches in town. There could be a wider selection of teas, and the service was slow and inattentive. But all the pastries were delicious, the sandwiches were excellent and somewhat different from the norm. The chutney and cheese was unusual but tasty, and everything else was tasty too. Terrific bespoke cocktails as well. read more

Browns Cambridge - Rhubarb spritz cocktail - Brasseries Near Me - Cambridge, CAM

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I think this place is a little over rated for the price. This place seems to be a staple for our work dinners so we come here quite often. The price for the quality of food is not up to par in my opinion and the service we received was not very good. The waiter would often disappear for large amounts of time and it took long periods of time to get the drinks we ordered. However the food wasn't that bad. I ordered the salmon which was quite yummy but I think it was way overpriced. Can get that same piece of yummy salmon at a much better pub! The appetizer portions were small especially with the asparagus only giving four stalks, albeit was very good. The restaurant itself isn't bad, it just didn't live up to the fancy expectations I had when coming here. read more

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Wow such a disaster! I was visiting Cambridge for the day and had planned for myself and the other half to have afternoon tea here. Note that I had only ever been to most Browns restaurant for drinks. Positives: The location was perfect near the main tourist attraction. Our table was great its rare to be seated at a table for 4 when there are only the two of you so we appreciated the space. The afternoon Tea came out very quickly. Negatives: The Host /Manager was very rude and condescending- we had come on a busy Saturday afternoon so he made us wait in line even though we had a table booked. The waiter was not so friendly and did not explain the contents of the afternoon tea. He also slammed every time item on the table as he was serving us. We waited for almost 15 min to get the bill and then another 10 min before we got up and paid at the till point. Needless to say i will be not visiting any Browns restaurant anywhere else or anytime soon. read more

Browns Cambridge - Basic afternoon Tea - Brasseries Near Me - Cambridge, CAM

Disclaimer: I am American. But you shouldn't hold it against me. We way over-ordered, but that was mostly because of the AWESOME first impression from the starters! We got the best of brown's appetizer--amazing. Literally perfectly proportioned for the four people in my party, including food preferences and all! I loved the sausage roll, though I can't vouch for its authenticity. We also got the scallops, and while not as good as the best of brown's.. it was pretty darn great. For dinner, we all got the Tuesday pie special. It was HUGE, though apparently that isn't usual. They ran out of the normal mini pies so we got approximately 2.5 meals each. Not complaining! There was a Guinness and beef, a lamb and potato (quartered, so not mashed like I was expecting), and mustard and chicken. The chicken pie was STELLAR. I would definitely order that again. The lamb was good, as well as the beef, but not nearly to the same level of the chicken. It came with mashed potatoes and broad beans, which were also excellent. The dessert--here's where it went crazy. We got the profiteroles, the Eton mess, and the sticky toffee. I'm not a huge fan of dessert so I went with tea. Lovely, by the way. But the huge crowd favorites here were the profiteroles. Adorable and delicious. It's whipped cream on the plate btw, not ice cream.. and the sticky toffee was also good! The Eton mess was a bit too cherry for all of my party members. The service was excellent, the wine suggestion a perfect pairing, and the atmosphere was great! I would come back for a nice dinner again. read more

Browns Cambridge - The Tuesday pie special at its largest! - Brasseries Near Me - Cambridge, CAM

This was the first time I have visited this establishment and I think it is a disappointment. I don't usually review places but I feel the need to warn people and the community about this place. My wife works at the University of Cambridge; she was excited to tell me how much her co-workers loved the place, so I decided to surprise her for her 40th birthday. Imagine! A woman's 40th birthday is a big deal, right? so I decided to book a bottomless brunch for her and her friends, now I regret it very much. (All her friends come for different part of the world London, Spain, New Zealand, Mexico, Bratislava) We were served by a drunk Hungarian waitress, (not joking), in a span of 3 hours they served 4 to 5 drinks to each of us, (bottomless? I don't think so); who then dared to comment to my wife that the waiters and the blond useless bar manager, that we had already had too much to drink. The food was average to bad, the arrogance of the restaurant managers ended our horrible evening, as none of them turned up other than to charge me a total of 400 pounds tip (service included, obviously XD) for the worst service of my life, not just in the UK but of any other country I have ever visited. The truth is that I found the treatment a bit unfriendly and a bit racially offensive. Fortunately Cambridge is a great city and it all came together when we went punting and then to the ska festival. I hope you have a better experience. The restaurant itself is quite nice and lovely. read more

I went here last Sunday to try out a Sunday roast. For the price I paid for a beef Sunday roast and drink, the food was underwhelming. The meat seemed gamey and chewy like I was given end scraps which wasn't nice to eat. The chips were chewy and did not seem freshly fried which was a disappointment. I can go to a pub around the corner and get better ones for a more reasonable price to portion ratio. The service was abysmally slow and when I looked around most of the other tables had a pitcher of water but my server didn't even offer me one. I'm not sure if this was because I also got a drink (very small amount though I would say and I had to ration it out to make sure I would have some to accompany my food). The drink and veggies were good which is basically what saved this review. Note, there is a compulsory service charge on your bill. I wish I had a better experience and I probably won't be coming back here because my server didn't really do much to warrant the service charge percentage they added (maybe this is why they have it to cover their bases). Unfortunate since it did look nice and inviting inside, and it's around the corner from where I live. read more

Browns Cambridge - Brasseries Near Me - Cambridge, CAM

Are they serious??? Very disappointed with the afternoon tea at Browns!! The food was hard, the tea cold and the staff didn't even bother to ask if everything was ok. I'm warning you to avoid this place at all costs and save your money. Plus the hand dryer didn't even work in the toilets which meant me and another lady had to dry them on our clothes. Yeah definitely not paying service charge.... thanks. read more

Browns is set in a really stunning building. It has a really good feel factor. The service it fab. When we went we asked for a table for 4 an hour into our meal a friend joined us and they found another chair for him. Only thing is they charge a 10% service fee for parties over 5. Cocktails are yummy. I have had most of them. Food is normal nothing grand. The 28 day steak is mouthwatering. When ever we have a child free night we vist Browns and always have a good time. read more

Browns Cambridge - coconut dacari at Browns - Brasseries Near Me - Cambridge, CAM

Come here for the Porn Star Martinis and stay for dinner. Excellent variation. I've eaten here several times and have never not been blown away. The fillet off sole is phenomenal when available and the fillet is nicely done. But the pièce de résistance is when Rimas is searing scallops. Oh how they melt in your mouth.... can't wait to come back. Thank you Browns Cambridge! read more

Had an amazing full English breakfast here with a friend. I still remember how packed my plate was! A more upscale version of beans, tomatoes, ham bacon and eggs. Get a breakfast here if you're ever in town. read more

Browns Cambridge - Brasseries Near Me - Cambridge, CAM

I was only there for drinks so I can't speak to the quality of the food. The two cocktails I had though were extremely unimpressive. And when I told the bar tenders about how much I had disliked the mint julep (in which you couldn't taste any of the whiskey) their response was basically - you're wrong. I was expecting them to apologize, make me another drink, and probably not charge me for the one that I had found so disgusting....but no....apparently I was wrong. The second cocktail was fine. Underwhelming, very weak and over sweet, but at least it was drinkable. Not a good experience in general though. I wouldn't recommend it to others. read more

Always safe bet to get into nice enough cocktails and always good to take parents and friends to regards John Jones http://www.johnjones.me.uk read more

Although this is a pretty standard restaurant with a corporate feel, the bar area is open and nice for a drink. The garlic flatbread is decent and the cocktail/wine selection is ok, if not severely overpriced for wines by the glass. Agree with the 'safe bet' comment - no surprises here which could be good and bad...I suppose if you are taking clients out for a drink this would be an appropriate spot. On a sunny day, a better bet would be to grab a bottle at the local off license down the street and drink by the canal and punters. read more

I thoroughly enjoyed my meal here this evening. I really liked the look of the place, very clean and modern with green plants everywhere to make it less sterile. The waitress could not have been nicer or more attentive. I'm sure it didn't help that it was a slow night, but she was quick to offer suggestions and answer our many questions. All three of us tried the orange, carrot and coriander soup to start .. perfect for warming up after a brisk walk around Cambridge. Two of us had the steak and ale pie while the third went with the shepherd's pie. Very tasty, full of flavor and huge chunks of beef. For dessert we had the apple and rhubarb crumble, a hot chocolate brownie, and I had an irish coffee with homemade cookies. My fellow diners enjoyed their desserts, but I was a tad disappointed with mine. The cookies could have been warmed up a bit and the coffee was not the best I've had. Overall though, I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. I do agree though that the toilets need work. In the ladies room one stall was out of order and another had a broken seat out of the three options I had to chose the one with some form of liquid on the floor. read more

Not a memorable experience... Everything was quite average. We went on a Sunday so we tried the Sunday Roasts -- beef roast, and apricot & Stilton nut roast. The Yorkshire pudding was the highlight of the meal, and that's about it. The beef meat was tough and chewy, and the nut roast tasted just like a different kind of stuffing that I can try this year at Thanksgiving. I found the gravy a bit too acidic, probably the result of too much Worcester sauce. The steamed vegetables were really bland and I had to sprinkle extra salt and pepper on top. I hear the steak, mushroom & Guinness pie is good, so maybe I'll give Brown's another chance later on... read more

Browns works. I think it's because that everyone knows what they're going to get there, and why they're going there. With the fear of disappointment removed, visitors just relax and get on with whatever reason it is that they are there, maybe to celebrate, to get treated to a slap-up meal or perhaps a first date. It's noisy, fun and is the right side of classy, without taking itself too seriously. The food is hearty and good value. Big portions, nothing too risky, but simple(ish) food done well and served with minimum fuss. On my last visit we had some of the flatbreads to share as a starter, followed by the fishcakes (which came with a rather naughty hollandaise sauce) and finished with a divine sticky-toffee pudding. Go there and get on with enjoying your evening. read more

Browns, is the great place to go in Cambridge for an occasional treat. The food and service is great, they have a good range for elegant meals to choose from. You can choose from a selection of wines and there is also a bar in there was well. Mind though, that it can be pricey, meals usually cost £10+, so maybe its good for an special occasion: Birthday, Graduation etc read more

The only thing that seems to let this place down is the food - it is ordinary at best. The decor is nice, the restaurant is conveniently located for the Fitzwilliam Museum and King's Parade and service is generally fine. There's even a nice al fresco section at the front. If you want a drink, it's probably fine - but if you are eating, it is best avoided. File under places in Cambridge that are primarily designed for tourists and therefore do not need to rely on repeat business. read more

This restaurant offers food that seems to be a hit for children aswell as their parents. The burgers are popular, aswell as fish and chips and cold meze. The decor is mirrors and other art-deco touches and the wooden tables seem to be fairly crammed together, which can make dining , when it is busy, quite noisy. Specials of the day are put on the blackboard but disappear quickly at weekends.If you are a larger party, you can wait sometime to get a table. read more

Bowns restaurant on trumingpton street is the perfect place for a good and drinks. The menu is varied and a step up from gastro-pub food and the menu changes regulary and theres always specials on offer. The resraurant is spacious and has a light and open feel, it has an almost 1930's feel about it (but a sophistacated 1930's). There's lots of dark wood and broze and a nice marble floor, the building is quite special. It gets very busy and the downside is you cant book for tables less than 10 people. But if you do have to wait theres a nice bar area to relax in. It's the perfect place for a romantic meal although the format of the seating doesnt allow too much privacy, equally its the kind of place students can take their visiting parents and show them a nice side of cambridge that parents like to see. Overall the food is really good and well priced the wine however is a little on the high side. A top tip is the desserts are fantastic!!. read more

When I was small Browns was THE place to go for a treat. Then I became a vegetarian and the menu was pretty meat heavy, so I was pleasently surprised to find a wonderful selection when visiting over the past year. The prices are reasonable, although more 'treat' than 'meal-before-the-cinema'. The bar serves wonderful champagne cocktails (they also make them with prosecco, which is considerably cheaper and just as good) and the seating is a little crowded, but atmospheric. The ceiling fans and decor give the place a feel of the 1930s. read more

I was having a birthday dinner with a table of 2 and the service was horrible. I asked for the dessert menu twice, once I got ignored the other time forgotten. I saw a family of 4 or so be seated about 10 mins after us and still got served before us before we even saw our waiter. The food was pretty mediocre for the price as well. We got the Prawn & crab linguine and the Roasted fillet of salmon. Only good thing was the bottle of wine we got and the brownie. Would not recommend unless you're a big party cause they will pay attention to you more. read more

Warm lager and a trout filled with mushy goo that was less warm than the lager. Sweaty, wilted leaf salad. The new potatoes and butter were delicious and the iced tap water was well produced. Waiting staff were perfectly lovely. Toilets were mingin.... read more

Although I only stopped by this well-established restaurant/bar for some afternoon tea on a rainy day, the indoor atmosphere that this venue provides is worth a visit. The series of ceiling fans that adorn a high ceiling and the decorative flora throughout the restaurant make one feel as if he/she has stepped into a scene from Casablanca. The scones and clotted cream with jam were quite good and a great combination with the house blend tea. This is a place that I am certainly interested in trying again for a larger meal. read more

They have a wide variety on the menu and the staff are really helpful, even when busy. As someone with dairy issues the waiting staff was considerate enough to make sure that what I ate didn't contain any dairy. They also serve jelly - a refreshing change to sorbet. read more

I've eaten here a few times. The food is always so-so and overpriced. The flatbreads are good. The soy salmon and bok choy dish is usually pretty good though last time it was over-salted and cold. That same night my friend ordered the grilled chicken and it was burnt on the outside, but because we had waited so long for our food he didn't bother sending it back. The service is slow, and last time I was there it was really cold inside. read more

I went here with a friend for afternoon tea at 4 pm, and it wasn't too bad. The service was a bit slow at first even though the restaurant was not very crowded at the time. The tea was a traditional English Breakfast Tea, and it came with four tea sandwiches (two cucumber and cream cheese, two salmon and cream cheese), one scone, and one piece of fruit cake. The scone was very good because it was fresh out of the oven, and it came with plenty of clotted cream! Undoubtedly, it's a good place for afternoon tea if you're in the Cambridge area and if you don't want to spend too much (around 7 pounds). I will probably go back as a student on a budget. read more

Was really good! Food was nice and atmosphere was good. Had pork belly and it was great! Recommend!

Really nice atmosphere, and tasty food. I got the goat cheese & walnut salad and liked it very much. Waiters were a bit impatient, but it was probably because they were very busy that day. read more

Nice restaurant! We stop by on our way to work around University of Cambridge campus. We ordered slow roasted pork belly, and "hake" fish catch of the day. The server Ossy was a very friendly person, his recommendations were fantastic ! Both were very tasty. Nice recommendations! read more

Terrible place. Don't go. I went here while pregnant and so had a few very simple rules, whic meant my meat had to be cooked. All requested on order and turned up an hour and half later raw. By this time we had got very fed upw ith waiting for something to eat and so called it a day. Terrible service and food. read more

I really enjoyed this restaurant. The food was lovely and the setting was very plush!! All the times I have been the service has been excellent and the food extremely good and I cannot say I have a bad thing to say about this place!! The only downside is finding parking nearby.. read more

This is my all-time favourite restaurant in Cambridge. It is set in a lovely building near the Fitzwilliam museum and is very popular. The menu consists of traditional English Cuisine. The choice is fantastic and the quality great. Pricewise it is not bad at all. There is a bar area for when you arrive. The choice on the menu is extensive and the puddings fantastic. The entire experience is enjoyable and relaxing. It is ideal for larger social groups, or intimate romantic meals. The location makes it great for an early dinner after a shopping trip, or visit after the museum. If giong in the evening I would always book as it can get quite busy. read more

Lately I visited Cambridge with a couple of my friends. Walking by those historical buildings and famous university, it was like going back to the past. The whole city was like a huge museum of architectural wonders. After an all-day walk through the city we thought a good coffee in a gorgeous restaurant would be a great way to end the day in Cambridge. But unfortunately we picked the worst restaurant ever. The hospitality was so bad, it was above everything. As far as I'm concerned I won't go back there again. So here is my story: after we studied the menu and discussed what to drink and eat, one of my friends offered to make the order so we can relax and enjoy our conversation. A waiter came to our table, a tall guy with black curly hair, I suppose he was a true-born, native English "Sir" (seeing his behavior and hearing his accent). He asked for our order. My friend replied with a slight Hungarian accent, saying: 'Three flat white, please.' The waiter answered with a tiny smile and in an arrogant manner saying that: 'Unfortunately, we can't serve with free coffees.' As I realized where the conversation was going, I tried to correct it and pronounced the word "three" very precisely so that he could understand. After this the waiter acted as he understood what we were saying. He continued to take orders from our table (we were seven persons at a table), but only one of us ate. My friend next to me wanted to order chicken breasts with vegetables, but the waiter said they don't have chicken at the moment. My friend accepted the answer and asked for a drink. After the waiter took our orders, noted arrogantly that we occupied the whole table just to have drinks. Meaning that only one person from us, ordered a meal. I have to say that this is a large restaurant with lots of tables, and only four tables were occupied from the twenty or so... It was kind of a shock for us that he acted so arrogantly, making a joke out of my friend's accent, and making problem because we didn't ordered meals, just drinks. Not to mention that the dishes were quite dirty. I don't understand, we all speak four languages, but probably none of them perfectly, so why is such big deal if one fails to pronounce a word correctly? Is this a problem in the Browns restaurant? So as a quick advice for those of you who want to visit this restaurant, and speak English as a second language, having trouble with the perfect pronunciation, keep out of this restaurant, or especially this tall, black curly haired waiter, who is a true "Gentleman" at his working place. read more

Although Browns is a chain, you certainly don't feel it once inside the elegant restaurant, which has something of a grand 1920's hotel about it. It works on so many levels- as a place to meet for coffee or afternoon tea during the day (although don't make my mistake and opt for the afternoon tea with champagne at 3pm, and wander tipsily round the Fitzwilliam Museum across the road afterwards), and as a cocktail bar or restaurant in the evening. If you sit outside in summer you're treated to a view of one of the most beautiful buildings in Cambridge. read more

Despite the beautful (and I mean it, beautiful building) Browns is just "alright". The food is standard, service is polite but pretty slow, and overall not up to par with several other restaurants Cambridge has to offer. Definitely I would recommend a good look at the interior over a cheeky glass of wine, or better still a cocktail, head into town for dinner. read more

I have visitied this restaurant several times and there is always a lively buzz about the place. Beware that they do not take bookings at the weekends and i have had to wait up to an hour before but the lovely cocktails they do can make the wait go quickly! The high ceilinged room has a collonial feel which I thought looked like it was based on 'Raffles'. The chairs can be a bit uncomfy so try and get the padded booths at the back. This place is very popular and often busy. Everytime I have been there has been someone famous also eating there. The waiting staff and friendly and quick. There is a limited choice on the menu and is relatively expensive. They do a good set lunch menu which is a lot cheaper! Bit out from the actual town centre and limited parking. read more

Amazing characteristic building, great food and drinks served by professional staff, a must when visiting Cambridge