Browns Teahouse in York - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

We visited Browns cafe for a drink and bite to eat. We had baked potato with tuna mayo. For the price, £9.95, it was pretty average tasting food. What let it down mainly though was the service from a couple of members of staff, the older woman taking orders was miserable and the girl who brought our food nearly threw our plates on the table then stormed off. The redeeming member of staff was a guy who gave us directions to our hotel. Top man, earning an extra star!

Went for a coffee, staff too busy talking felt like we were interrupting them, girl handled cup by top of cup and coffee not that warm. Toilets need a good clean especially the floor which needs scrubbing. Toilet door lock broken and door needs an inch shaving off to close it. Doors need painting. Very disappointing.

Visited the cafe today and had the steak burger and chips, really good food and quick service, friendly staff and clean premises. Will definitely visit again.

Fantastic store - huge amount of choice and all in one place. Great range of Barbour Jackets.

Signage in store not very good for finding the restaurant. We ended up in the downstairs pavement cafe and it was not very good. Slow service, no napkins, man who brought our food didn't say a word! Would not recommend unless all you want is a quick coffee.

Exceptionally knowledgable, friendly and helpful staff were the cherry on top of a lovely shopping experience. Excellent choice of tea and coffee in the cafe, too. Will be visiting again.

Don’t bother with the afternoon tea! After 30minutes of waiting the smallest cream tea arrived that didn’t match the picture that they advertise. Pricey and pathetic.

Overall it is a very good shop, great products and great service from staff. Except one member. On one occasion in Browns Men's Wear. Myself and two of my friends received some very bad customer service from a member of staff named Lee. We went to see a friend at work. And while she was very obviously still doing her job. This man came over and told us "you can go away now" and although I understand the friend was at work. There are better and more professional ways of going about it. And while our friend was working he was very patronising on what she needed to do although it was already being done. I just think you can't speak to potential customers like that even if the reason was valid.

A big shout out to the beautiful lady on the Clinique stand. I have been struggling with my skin because I have terminal cancer and I have always been fond of Clinique, so I thought I would go in store to speak to someone to get advice. I'm really sorry, I can't remember your name (part of having a brain tumor) but you were absolutely amazing, thank you for taking your time, to explain everything to me and for applying the skincare and makeup. I have been using the products ever since, I think the Moisture Surge is pure magic and I love everything. I would love to know your name, so I can come back and see you.

Store is lovely, however one older worker (who I believe was called Lee) was extremely rude and ruined the whole experience. It was the first time we’ve visited York, and he had put a downer on the whole weekend. We popped in to say hello to our friend and he said ‘you can go away now.’ And ushered us out the store, we were not stopping our friend from working, in fact we were asking about some of the birthday cards, and he came over and was extremely rude. Absolute rubbish customer service.

Food is just average, service is okay and easy to find a table, can have some rooms to improve on food quality

Love to shop at browns ,nice clean store.

Lots of choices and helpful staff.

I have been going to Browns for my bra fittings for c20 years. Lesley and the team are exceptionally professional, make you feel at ease, they are honest in their opinions about what is a good fit and provides the support required. There is no finer fitting service in York, it begins with a full measure, prior to the member of staff exploring the stock for the right size, fetching different styles throughout the fitting process. Allow at least 40mins for their bra fitting service, as they say, it’s not to be rushed. To Browns management, thank you for employing quality, friendly, expert staff like Lesley, she is a credit to your brand. As to the decorative design of your fitting rooms please could you consider investing in a more appropriate design for the current needs of women. It should be a more welcoming style for young women through to those that are from the LGBTQ+ community across all ages and seniors. With thanks for listening :)

Best cheeseburger I've ever had.

Browns Tea Rooms. Good food & staff. Busy but tables kept clean at all times.

Old fashioned department store which is a diamond place to buy from

Lovely shop, well presented, good quality products and friendly, helpful staff - would definitely recommend

Great variety of quality brands. Really nice bedding department!

Beautifully presented store with lots of great choice of products..wish we had one in Stamford 😍

This is not a review of the store but the cafe and its facilities. We visited the cafe whilst visiting the Christmas markets. It was busy but we found a seat. The food prices are very reasonable and the food very good. Service was quick and access to the cafe was ok from outside however due to being busy was not easy to negotiate inside due to prams etc being left in walk ways. Not a great deal of room for anyone in a wheelchair. We asked where the toilets were and advised in the store. We walked through to the back of the cafe out into Browns store. Followed the signs up an escalator and then two flights of steps. I am not sure where the disabled toilet was as I could not see a lift. I would advise anyone with a wheelchair to ask. The condition of the toilets was not good, one out of order and another with a broken lock. Obviously not been checked as no loo roll either. There was a sign on the door with the broken lock saying “just whistle”. If you are going to offer toilets then I would suggest to Browns either close them off completely or at least keep them checked on a regular basis. I was not the only person commenting on the state of the toilets.

We did not have a good experience on our visit to the store this past weekend. There were two very rude, stuck up staff members (middle aged females, working in the cosmetic/gift area). Between them they made myself and my 60 year old mum feel belittled and terrible. We openly took and then quickly returned a product (a tiny seed ball) which was advertised on the individual products as a free gift, there was no signage to say otherwise and no individual prices on the ones we picked up. When paying for other items at the till we were told by the staff in a very blunt and rude manner that they were actually being sold £1.50 or free when buying a different product. On handing them back over to the staff, we were made to feel like we had been trying to smuggle out diamonds!! And despite being incredibly honest and apologetic they continued to belittle and turn their noses up at us. Due to this treatment I would never return to Browns, York.

Staff very abrupt, scones stale and crumbly, no cream or jam. Panini very sparse, latte was OK. Slow clearing tables, until I was eating, thrn everything cleared from under me with no communication. Not recommended.

Lovely coffee in pleasant surroundings

I don't appreciate being given dirty looks and being followed around by the staff.

Wonderful traditional department store with a contemporary feel. Delightful friendly staff who welcomed our dog with open arms especially the girls in The Barbour section who made the whole shopping experience on our visit to York brilliant. We purchased so many Christmas gifts for the whole family in the store today. There was so many lovely items to select from. Thank you x

An interesting shop, lots to see, it's lovely to browse. Staff pleasant.

Went just now to buy Calvin Klein as a gift for a friend in form of underwear. The same stile, different colour, but they were different lengths!? I brought this to the attention of staff, The ladies at the till in lingerie section were very rude and dismissive of me, cold and unapproachable. Having being coming the Browns since I was child for past 33 years, I am very disappointed. I went away from them to a lady by the till in the corner of downstairs women clothing department, and she was very nice and polite.

Lovely to see a traditional Department Store still on the High Street. An absolute pleasure shopping here.

Great store, but layout confusing and hetic

I rather wish I had realised that there was a Fenwick nearby..... Not much going on, in the way of clothes, but the beauty section is good.

Good, as usual. Needs rethink on crowded aisles and scruffy security staff

Lovely store for browsing, but very pricey!

Nice and clean Welcoming atmosphere and staff. good range of products competitive prices

Popped in for a mooch, bought a handbag. Staff very helpful and friendly.

One of the last department stores in York. I like the brown's events. But I think the toilets need a bit more tlc. Especially at the back of the sink.

Had lunch in the very nice restaurant. Lovely food and excellent staff.

Had a bra refit & update at Brown's. The lady who dealt with me measuring etc was polite, efficient & really knew her trade. Highly recommend, ladies you must go regularly!

It was a nice experience in the coffee shop polite and friendly, and quiet which I liked usually busy would recommend

Not too good a range of mens clothes obviously waiting for full Autumn Stock. Restaurant not well organised. One person serving teas and coffees and food . A wait for service when not needed. Not a good customer experience

Always go in for a look ,wife likes the designer clothes ect ,and like most women to use the clean loos .get your wallet out guys😂

What a surprise and lovely dept store. Reminded me of Browns in Chester. 😎💙🇬🇧👍

All staff very helpful. Good shopping experience

Had lunch here and it was lovely! It was clearly freshly cooked and didn’t take too long either. I would recommend the pulled pork panini, or the halloumi burger 😋

Good value and friendly service

Fantastic shop , Doug in menswear made our visit such fun , lovely guy , thank you .

Best store ever been in, rarely go there without buying something.

Lovely little department store with a great choice of luxury goods and designer brands. Friendly staff, great cafe. Well worth a visit if in the centre of York.

Great place to shop. Lots of variety in merchandise. Super staff. Sale items outstanding.

Excellent service that you do not often experience any more.

A lovely shop. Excellent service and very competitive prices especially in the sales where there are some real bargains!! Always the best brands and latest fashions!

Shopping for makeup and met Debra on the Bobbi Brown make up counter. Wow. What a lovely lovely lady. She knew her stuff! And understood what I was needing help with. I felt really listened to and she did a beautiful job with my makeup.. Thank-you so so much Debra. I’m now a Bobbi Brown convert. See you next time we come for a short break.

Toilets discussting at a shop like this. Meal and service fine.

A good old fashioned department store that is great for just browsing around

Always great food and good staff!

Very helpfull staff. Love a browse about and a quick lunch.

Decent food in the restaurant but very overpriced for simple meals. Tables were left dirty. Very very slow service.

Wide range of products but all can be found cheaper online

Lovely food in a really nice setting. Great service and choice at reasonable prices.

Lively pleasant place to have lunch after shopping.

Very good vegetarian breakfast, which I could just finish, the staff were great with my two dogs giving them that's and water. I'd recommend it to anyone who's visiting the city there dogs.

Stopped here for some lunch and was greeted by possibly the friendliest staff members I have ever been greeted by. They seemed genuinely pleased to see us and made my little boys feel at home with some colouring books and crayons. We ordered two jacket potatoes with tuna, and my partner said it was one of the best jacket potatoes he has had. We would highly recommend a visit.

Nice department store selling items from various designers. Cafe in the middle as well.

During my recent visit to the Dior stall at Browns in York, I was blown away by the exceptional service provided by Megan. Not only did she have extensive knowledge of the products, but she also remembered our names from previous visits, which made us feel like we were visiting a friend. Megan's customer service was truly exceptional. She took the time to listen to our needs and preferences and provided us with tailored advice that was both informative and helpful. She even went out of her way to ensure we were satisfied with our purchases and provided us with samples to try at home. What really stood out to me was Megan's ability to make us feel valued and appreciated as customers. She was warm, friendly, and engaging, and her attention to detail was outstanding. We truly felt like we were in good hands. Overall, I would highly recommend the Dior stall at Browns in York, particularly Megan as a salesperson. Her exceptional customer service, product knowledge, and ability to connect with customers on a personal level, made our shopping experience truly unforgettable. We cannot wait to revisit the stall in the future.

Very decent coffee shop. Only issue is that toilets are 2 floors above

Nice family department store. Cafe a bit dated.

I love shopping at Browns.i treated myself to a top

Nice dept store. Good toilets 👍😁

Got breakfast here and it was superb, everything well cooked, sausages are very tasty and the staff are polite and attentive. Going again tomorrow. Much better than wetherspoons which is a walk away from everywhere else and definitely not worth the walk

My wife Pat, shopped in phase eight of your department store in York, Louise who was in charge attended to her for a wedding outfit, she was very helpful, nothing was to much trouble, she was an absolute star and a credit to Browns store ! and l bought the wedding outfit & accessories

Lovely shop with plenty of different departments, and a fantastic handbag dept. Bought a lovely handbag so pleased we went into the store.

Food good and quick, not expensive. Busy but tables available.

Helpful staff. Good range of clothes and shoes. Very good cosmetics department. Well worth a look round

Love this department store in York. The staff are so helpful and friendly.

Had fish and chips in the cafe..delishus..I will go again.good value too.

I popped in to visit the toilet and caught my coat on the sharp edge of the toilet roll holder and ripped my coat. Delphine, the HR manager, could not do enough for me and I was offered a brand new coat, even helping me find one and throwing in some cosmetic samples. I honestly thought I’d just be offered an apology or, at best, a voucher but she went beyond what I expected

We visited the restaurant. If you want to experience what good service and food looks like then this is the place to visit.

Fabulous food well worth a visit

We had a lovely day at Brown's. The cafe was a nice experience. Also we found clothes to buy.

Ok bacon and egg sandwich very good value for money

Only visited the cake today but clean well run (large portions), good food at a good value

Went to cafe, amazing food and staff are amazing

Not many of these stores left, Great to browse around, bargains to be had after Xmas.

Lovely for trying new aftershave.

Lovely oldy world store. Many are now closing, hope this around for a long time

Great department store. Fantastic range of items

Absolutely ridiculous refund/returns policy on faulty goods regarding to a very obvious and continuous fault on Mode in Pelle boots! Do not buy if you expect an immediate refund! I had already exchanged boots after a fault had developed withing 5 days of purchase! Had to send boots off to test,got an exchange, faulty again already in the box before I even got them home,so waited a third time for an exchange,then a different fault occurred and was expected to wait to be sent off and tested again before a refund could be considered!! In the end I went up to accounts and a very lovely and kind lady gave me a refund,won't be back any time soon to purchase boots!

Nice food very reasonably priced

Restaurant open again. Huge portion of chicken and asparagus pasta. Must have contained whole chicken breast! Very tasty and well worth the money - not expensive.

Dog friendly and decent quality food, it was very busy when we were there a service was a little disappointing, we received a pot of beans with no beans just source and no milk with the tea, this was put right by very friendly staff. Finding a dog friendly place in York for a cooked breakfast is limited so finding Browns was a bonus.

Traditional department store which has survived.

We haven't been in here for a number of years but as a traditional department store it's rated highly. The other week we popped in to their cafe for a spot of lunch. As the St Nicholas fair was on it was very busy. I would rate the cafe at only 2 stars on this occasion. It may well be better when York is not as busy.

Visited York for the weekend. Enjoyed time looking around the department store. Had a nice lunch.

Excellent range of quality branded products

Rude cafe staff, Went elsewhere in the end

Bought family Xmas cards, great. Had my eyebrows done, also great. Loads of different departments to browse in. Love this shop.

Brilliant indipendent shop, well priced, great offers, amazing restaurant

Bought a coat and jumper which I am very pleased with and the lady who served me was lovely and helpful we always visit when in York

Lovely old department store need more in big cities especially Edinburgh

Had a spot of lunch with the wife in the cafe, like a proper old school cafe! Touch pricey but overall the baked potato and salad was really nice. Quick service considering the queues.