Browns Glasgow
Brown’s is one of Glasgow’s newest restaurants, located at 1 George square (next to Jamie’s Italian). It was opened in April 2011 and is operated by the UK’s leading restaurant group Mitchells & Butlers. There are another fifteen or so across the country, including Edinburgh.
Critics originally doubted whether the restaurant would pull in enough customers to support itself as it’s located outside Glasgow’s main shopping districts and faced competition from the thriving Jamie’s Italian next door and other nearby favourites such as Alan Tomkins’ Urban Brasserie. Another question was whether it would be accepted as well in Glasgow as it had been in Edinburgh – cities with very different customer expectations. However, the restaurant is constantly busy: on Saturdays you won’t even find the typical 3-5 quiet spell. After visiting the restaurant several times since the opening party, most recently last Saturday, I’ve become a bit of a regular and definitely willing to sing its praises to anyone who will listen.
The restaurant is on the ground floor of the GPO building on George Square, one of the cities iconic buildings which gives an impressive first impression. You won’t be disappointed after walking inside either; two levels of panoramic windows, dark wood floors and furnishings, mirrors, high ceilings and even a grand piano. So long as you manage to ignore any Glaswegian “characters” passing the windows if you’re near one, you actually feel you’re somewhere much more exciting.
The menu is fairly expensive, but the prices are easily justified when your food arrives. After trying a few of the mains (all very tasty), I now have favourites which I order religiously. Smoked beef carpaccio to start, the warm chicken salad as a main, and dessert depends on how I feel on the day but sticky toffee pudding is the usual winner. The restaurant also has an extensive and well designed cocktail menu, with everything you would expect to see plus several more unusual options; you have to try the kajuma! There’s a good choice of spirits, beers, and softs too.
After working in the hospitality industry for several years, poor service is something that really bothers me and will ruin any restaurant experience no matter how good the rest of it has been. No need to panic though – staff have obviously been well trained in all the basics as well as details like the importance of making sure your wine glass is always topped up. Everyone always seems to be enjoying their job too, even when things are obviously hectic, which I think is really important. No one wants a sulking waiter.
The only faults I can find are the fact it’s sometimes a little too busy and so waiting times are slightly longer than ideal, and that it is a bit pricey but as I said this is definitely justifiable considering the quality of what you get. Is Browns a novelty that will soon wear off? I honestly don’t think so… It’s refreshing to find a more upmarket restaurant in Glasgow which actually delivers what you expect and more after seeing the prices.