Browns Exeter — Restaurant in Exeter

I’ve been to Browns many times over the years so was excited when Exeter’s new restaurant opened. However I’ve been a few times and the service has always been sub par. I went at Christmas, when it was empty, and they refused us a table because we didn’t have a booking (we could’ve booked immediately after as it was empty, so that was weird). I went for New Year’s Eve lunch when it was empty again and the service was incredibly slow, the staff were ignoring us but stood milling about chatting. The food was slow to arrive, but was nice.

I then went last night for the ‘launch’ party. It was fine at the beginning, we had some canapés and a free drink. However when it came to dinner, the service was abysmal. It took a bit of time to take our order, which ended up just being bread and a main each. We waited for about 1 hour and 20 minutes to receive our mains, by this point all of us were exhausted and hangry. The staff completely ignored us after we had ordered, no one came to check in on us, apologise for the delay, or offer more drinks. It took me literally getting out my seat and asking where our food was after it had been an hour, and they then said it would be another 10 minutes, which suggests it was completely forgotten about.

A different server did apologise and acknowledge we should be annoyed. By this time it was 8:30pm and we all just wanted to go to bed. The food was nice enough, but was tainted by the wait. No one came to ask how the food was and after we finished we then had to spend ages trying to get the bill. We had planned to get desserts but by that point, we all just wanted to leave. They then had the nerve to add service charge to the bill, which we refused to pay. But there was not really any apology, they could’ve offered us a drink or to not pay for, I dunno, the bread as a good will gesture. We had also watched multiple people get 2-3 courses during the time we waited, and the excuse that it was busy was obviously nonsense as they had plenty of staff and it was a bookings only event, so they knew how many people would be there. At one point, we saw staff stood around chatting. So there was, to us, no excuse for poor service.

If they had acknowledged and apologised without me getting out my seat to get attention, we probably would’ve been less frustrated. But they simply didn’t have an interest. And we were a table of 6!

Consistently the service has been the issue at Browns. The food is good. The drinks are good. The atmosphere is good. But it’s been tainted for me and I am really disappointed in how I’ve been treated by the incompetent...

Not a family friendly restaurant at all. We’ve been going to Harvester for over 13 years since I moved to Exeter and have visited different branches around the country. First time to experience such rude service by our server Jo. Definitely an unpleasant experience. Management team is also appalling.

I want to straighten the facts mentioned in the response of my review.

Firstly, the kids did not persistently ran around. This only happened a few time where each time an adult kept telling them and grabbing them to sit down. If you have kids you’ll know how hard it is to contain 2 years old to keep still as well as a 6 years old. Also, if you don’t want kids to stand up and go to a chicken machine you have on display then please remove this machine as it attracts too much attention for kids!

Secondly, nobody swore! I never realised saying ‘For goodness sake’ was a swear word. If your waitress and incompetent supervisor was not rude in responding when being asked what their name was, then your guest wouldn’t have been annoyed and responded in this way.

Thirdly, I didn’t realise that a family friendly restaurant doesn’t allow guest to sit on another table (unoccupied table) to try and contain the ‘problematic’ little 2 year old guest your waitress kept moaning about. If your waitress Jo wasn’t so rude to shout at a guest and tell them to not sit on a table that was empty and the guest even offered to clean the table that was sat on but ‘NOoooo’ it was so much of an hassle for your staff member Jo to just be respectful to your guest!

Fourth, please teach your staff the right morals in dealing with customer service. Your waitress Jo was caught lying when she told guests that the kitchen will be closing in 20mins. Order was placed around 19:20 when in-fact you still have a table booked at 19:45 which means that they have less than 5 mins to place their order when they arrive. How come this was accommodated? Is this the attitude you tolerate in your family friendly restaurant?

Please do not blame the guest for the incompetence of your management team and poor attitude of staff. If kindness and appropriate service was given in the beginning you will not receive such feedback. On the plus note, I want to commend your waitress Millie for being so friendly and accommodating. You need more staff like her! She was the only thing good about...

I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Brown’s Exeter, and from start to finish the whole experience was nothing short of outstanding. The service was exemplary – attentive, professional, and delivered with genuine warmth. The food was absolutely fantastic, full of flavour, beautifully presented, and you can truly taste the quality in every bite.

A special mention must go to Joe, our waitress, who went above and beyond to ensure everything was perfect for our table. Her friendliness and attention to detail really elevated the evening. Credit also to Carl, the restaurant manager, whose dedication and passion for service shines through – he clearly leads by example and ensures that every guest feels cared for.

The cocktails are second to none – creative, balanced, and beautifully served. Alfie will mix you up a mean cocktail with flair and passion – I especially recommend the Cherry Margarita, which was outstanding. Their new autumn-winter specials are also a real treat and well worth trying.

A little-known fact that makes Brown’s extra special is that everything is prepped on site. Nothing is brought in ready-made – it’s all homemade, which is why the quality of the food is consistently so high. You can taste the difference.

The style and ambience of the restaurant is wonderful – elegant, stylish, and full of character. But don’t be put off if you think it might be “too posh” – it absolutely isn’t. The team makes everyone feel welcome, whether you’re a couple looking for a romantic dinner, a group of friends out to celebrate, or a family enjoying a meal together. And if you’re not in the mood for a full dinner, the bar is a fantastic spot to enjoy drinks and canapés in a relaxed yet refined setting.

Brown’s Exeter is a true gem in the city – a place where exceptional food, first-class service, and a welcoming atmosphere all come together to create a dining experience that’s...