The Philosopher's House — Restaurant in Johnson City

I want to rave about this place so badly. I loved the ambiance, the music, the staff, and the marketing materials online, describing the mission and personality of the business. I excitedly came ready to cozy myself in a corner and get some work on my laptop done with my husband early on a weekday. We picked a small room in the back corner to focus with headphones, hummus, and a pot of tea. The environment was cozy, and the staff were friendly. Everything pointed to this being my new favorite spot until the GM (wrenallen?) came in, talking extremely loudly.

We assumed it would calm down once the excitement of starting the shift calmed, but after a long wait, the noise didn't cease. I am terrified of causing conflict, but I worked up the confidence to ask if she could lower the noise or recommend a better location for us to work so they could continue chatting. She promptly responded that this is a public space and she can't control the volume. She did it in a way that felt very condescending, and like I was asking for utter silence from everyone inside.

I understand that you will have a few guests that are loud talkers (that is why we brought headphones and sat in a small room in the back corner), but this was completely different. This was a manager sounding like a sports announcer trying to talk over a loaded stadium. There were no inside voices or even a care for how her actions affected everyone. I tucked my tail and retreated to my corner, thinking maybe I was being a Karen and didn't have the right to bring up that concern. Perhaps only by coincidence (but I doubt it), the other two customers working on their laptops also left when she got there.

After trying to work through it without success, we requested a refund and left. My husband had hoped to discuss the issue further with the GM thinking maybe she misunderstood our concern before we left, but she had gone upstairs as we came out of the back room with the plate of hummus and pot of tea we barely touched.

I hope the GM was just having a bad day, and this isn't a reflection of what others should expect. I truly want to go back and give this place another shot because it is a one of a kind place for this area, but I feel icky after that and doubt I will. The vibes are...

A must-visit tea house, and I’m glad I did. I’ve never been anywhere quite like it. Most cafes have followed the Starbucks trend in moving customers along after they make their purchase, but the Philosopher’s House embraces the other direction, offering a dozen cosy nooks to hole up in and craft your next masterpiece while you leisurely sip one of their many teas, served in a teapot with a warmer so it will remain hot. They also offer more substantial fare. I tried the grilled pimento cheese on sourdough, and it was as delicious as it sounds.

My friends got a Chinese tea, which requires a bit of instruction, but it looked fun and worth the extra effort. Upstairs there is an Asian-style tea room where you have to take your shoes off, and a yoga studio. Did I mention there are a private dozen nooks throughout the building? It’s a place designed for artists and introverts. One room has a round table sized just right for board games.

I hope The Philosopher’s House maintains exactly the right balance of enough customers to maintain the business without crossing over to so popular that the quiet charm...

Incredible third space 🫶🏻

Had a great time with family! We booked a full tea tasting and they took us on a bit of a tea history, culture, and process trip around the world, touching on different brewing styles and serving a variety of teas.

Great drinks and snacks! And they even have some coffee items now.

My only complaint is the volume of the music. I tend to go there to study (it is a University town after all), and while I understand I run the risk of it being a slightly louder atmosphere (typical cafe chatter) than say a library, the music is often so loud I can hear it through my own airpods. The music they're playing is often good to be fair, just too loud for my taste. A solution could be signage indicating the upstairs is a quiet zone (however you want to word it) and encouraging people to share spaces (i.e., 1 person studying doesn't need to take up an entire room. Multiple people can study at the same large table even if they're strangers). It doesn't both me when they play instrumental music at a reasonable volume upstairs! It's...