I've always had a soft spot for this place.
The first time I "crossed the river" when I moved to the area was to go to a show at Rev Hall and have dinner at Brown's.
I fell in love with Troy at that moment, ignoring the ridicule from the Troy haters I was with.
Over the years I moved closer and closer to Troy until I finally landed.
This is such an easy place to go so I've been there oh so many times. Â It's open on Sunday, it's large and they have a patio.
It just keeps going farther into the meeehhhh hole.
There are a couple awesome bartenders but the ones that keep coming in are..not awesome. Â Not friendly with a weak pour.
The food it okay. Â It's not bad, it's not great. Â I've had or sampled almost everything on the menu and I don't even have a favorite plate.
The beer is hit or miss. Â I will admit, I'm a sucker for the cherry raspberry but I DON'T call it cherry razz.
It's still a good spot to go with a mixed crowd. Â They have something for everyone. Â
I've held off on this review for so long but here it is.
On a whim my wife and I decided to go to the tap room.  We arrived about 630 in the evening and were promptly seated.  It was a Saturday night.  Our waitress, Katie, was warm and friendly and not overbearing.  I ordered one of the beers of the day a blonde Belgium ale.  We decided on dinner quickly ordering two appetizers and a Cobb salad.  The appetizers were the fried calamari, and the chicken Spiedies.  The calamari was tender and fried to perfection.  We had never had the chicken before but found it quite tasty and we enjoyed the yogurt sauce very much.  We ordered the balsamic vinaigrette with the Cobb salad.  The vinaigrette needs some work.  The salad itself was excellent except for one thing: the avocado was guacamole purée and we would have preferred fresh avocado slices.  The purée was not very good either.  Of course, these are questions of personal preference.  We sat outside the seating was excellent the weather was perfect over all a wonderful dining experience which we will definitely enjoy again.
Review Source:Good brew pub. Â Tried the Brown Ale and the Whiskey Barrel Porter (think that is the name). Â The Porter was pretty good, the Brown Ale needs a little work, but was enjoyable none the less. Â Atmosphere is pure brew pub. Â Good variety on the menu and the food was good. Will definitely head back again when in the Albany area.
Review Source:Stopped by for dinner last Saturday for a burger. Definitely do NOT recommend going between 5-7 on the weekend without a reservation. We waited nearly an hour for a table. When we got a table we ordered our burgers and they came quickly and cooked perfect! The fries were  overdone and super greasy so I would probably substitute for something else next time but we came for the burger anyways. Service was excellent and each burger was under $10. My husband got one of the microbrews, an oatmeal stout and can't stop talking about how good it was. Good food at a cute location, just don't go on the weekend if you don't want to wait!! The spinach artichoke dip was also yummy!
Review Source:Browns is one of my go-to places to eat and drink in the Capital Region. Â It's also a place where I like to take out-of-town guests who should have a good meal locally. Â Not only do they have quality beer and a good food menu, the wait tends to be be shorter than the Pump Station in Albany. Â Also, while you wait, they have both indoor and outdoor (in warmer weather) bars, so you can have a beer while you wait. Â I'm a big fan of the Cheery Raspberry Ale, but I like the Pale Ale and Brown Ale as well. Â For the food, I really like their spinach artichoke dip and chicken spiedies for an appetizer (and you really can't find spiedies elsewhere in the area, from my experiences). Â I enjoy their Old Hickory Burger, but would like the sausage platter that they had on their menu at one time to come back. Â Make it a point to come here.
Review Source:I started going to Browns almost a decade ago, it was a favorite amongst college friends. They changed their menu (and presumably owners or chefs) maybe two years ago and the food hasn't been the same ever since. The food is consistent, and never bad. You can't beat the beer. And the outside patio is a joy in the nice weather.
When ever I'm back visiting Troy, you can be sure we will visit.
What a gem to find in the area. Â Very similar to the Albany Pump Station, but, better. Â The beer tastes better, and the food is similar or the same pending on what you get. Â Went with my old college roommate while visiting, and really enjoyed it. Â The nachos are enormous, we didn't finish them, and that RARELY happens for me. Â They could have been a little better, lacked some toppings considering how much was there, but the chips held up after time, which is always a big plus. Â We both ended up ordering a burger, and they were pretty good, and the fries were good. Â
Worth stopping by if in the area.
Stopped by Brown's for a quick lunch and while we were in no way disappointed, it didn't stand out as one of those stand out craft beer and pub grub kind of places. Beer selection was decent, the food we ordered (burgers, french dip w/ the garlic aioli, sandwiches) was decent, and the service was ok.
I will say for the area, this is probably a good go to spot which may not knock your socks off but you know what you are going to get.
Before I knew much about beer or had been out many places, I went to Brown's and thought it was the greatest place on earth. Â But now that I've been around a bit and craft beer/"fancier" pub food is becoming so widespread, I have come to realize that Brown's is nothing special, certainly not a beer destination. Â
Overall it's not an unpleasant place to be. Â Service is usually pretty good, they host a lot of special events, and sometimes there's live music. Â The beer tastes like the lines haven't been cleaned very well and none of the brews are anything special. Â The food is decent pub food, can be a bit greasy, pretty big menu. Â Nice patio area with tables and fairy lights facing the river, worth having a sit in summer.
Browns is a trusty spot.
Beer brewed in house and good food to support. They keep the kitchen open late which comes in handy. Stopping in for a pint often leads to beer battered pretzels or some other small appetizer. I really like the soup specials (and the french onion) and various warm / cold sandwiches. I never really go for pasta dishes or more expensive entrée items at browns so I can't attest to those meals.
I love the beer with my favorites being the brown ale, pale ale and seasonal pumpkin ale. I wish they would make more limited offerings to keep frequent patrons amused, I find myself growing tired of the beer selection after a bit and long for change. They do have some generic bottled beer and Guiness on tap. They have a full bar with some decent single malt options, but charge a premium rate for a drink (my jameson black barrel was 12 bucks for a small portion).
Friday / Saturday nights obviously the most busy at Browns and they do their best to bring in entertainment for patrons. Acoustic, Dj's, Bands and Irish dancers are among the entertainment I've enjoyed at browns. Â
Browns offers high quality growlers for sale (I own 2). Made in Germany with a rubber gasket flip top. I use these growlers often and normally keep one in my car.
My favorite feature at Browns is a wonderful back patio overlooking the Hudson river. The only season I don't spend time outside is during the winter and even then I'll step outside for a bit while my friends smoke. By far one of my favorite places to relax and have a beer. They even put nice flower and flower pots out back which warms up the patio space for sure.
I don't know why Browns gets so much grief on yelp. It's a busy spot but people should learn to relax. Have a beer downstairs at the bar while you wait for a table. Cheers.
Brows Brewing Company is an excellent brewpub with great beer and awesome food!
In regards to beer, the samples are well priced and you get all of them except for one. I ordered the Brown Ale and Oatmeal Stout. Both were very good, especially the Oatmeal Stout with my dinner entree.
For appetizers, got to try some of the food which others at the table had ordered. We all agreed the Buffalo Chicken Dip was phenomenal! When we ran out of tortilla chips, the waitress was nice enough to bring us some more for the dip after being nicely prompted. Chicken Wings are a definite bargain! Lots of meat on them and you get a lot of them. Highly recommend the mixed sauce which is BBQ and hot sauce. It has a local name which I forget. These wings can probably be eaten as a meal if you are not sharing.
The dinner entree that I ordered was Whiskey Porter Short Ribs. The entree came with a few courses. A Brewer's Grain Roll with delicious butter (with rosemary) was served with a pub salad. There are a few dressing options and I found the garlic was delicious. The short ribs themselves were a bit small for the price but the flavour was really good. This was served atop Cheddar Roasted Garlic Mashed and Fried Green Beans. Both of these accompaniments  were quite good. I highly recommend asking for Chipotle Ketchup for the Fried Green Beans.
Water service was probably one of the best I have ever had. Also, I was asked if I wanted another beer at the perfect time, just as I finished and was contemplating another.
Finally, while you wait there is a nice game room upstairs with electronic darts and a few other arcade type games. (Bring quarters.)
I was quite happy we stopped by here and ecstatic they had metal tacker signs for purchase so that I could add to my collection. It was only 9 dollars as well... cheap!
Excellent place! Â I've been here 2-3 times now while in town visiting my boyfriend's family. Â In the summer, it's nice to sit outside on the deck and have a view of the river. Â This past weekend a group of 4 of us stopped in for dinner after Black Friday shopping. Â It was packed, but the service was still good. Â
I had the Mediterranean sandwich and a cherry raspberry beer. Â The beer was fantastic - not overly fruity or sweet. Well-balanced and very drinkable. Â The sandwich was pretty good. Â I'd give it a B.
I want to like Browns more but I just don't. I've been coming here since they first opened back in the 90's and and have continued to be a patron throughout their various incarnations.
I think inconsistent is the word that best describes Browns. The beer is very good but this has not always been the case. There have been periods of time where I would not drink anything brewed here because it tasted so bad. I was told by a local brewer that it was a case of sloppy brewing practices and poor sanitation.. Whatever they did, its working. The food is ok but nothing remarkable. I must admit that I have not tried any of the higher priced dinners, fearing it would not be that good.
Browns can get very busy, especially on the weekends. It can be difficult to get a table, which is to be expected on a weekend, Â but the service sometimes grinds to a halt. Overall, a good place for a beer and something to eat but not a place to "go out to dinner"
Stopped into Browns Brewing for the first time on "Brown Friday," the day after Thanksgiving, with my sister for a drink. The tables were full and so was the bar. We started out at a standing table and eventually snagged some bar seats. At both spots we were continually being bumped into by tipsy patrons, but we still had a good time.
My first drink was their famous Whiskey Porter, aged for two months in a bourbon whiskey barrel. Dark, rich, and a very unique flavor with chocolately notes. It took me a while to finish. Second I tried their draft special, the Tomhannock Pilsner, which was light and fruity. Â A good follow-up to the heaviness of my first drink.
We shared one of their beer pretzels, which I think is best described as watery, but in a good way. Kind of like water bagels. It was served with a housemade pale ale honey mustard, a nice pairing of sweet to the salty pretzel.
I also tasted their Cherry Raspberry Ale but was disappointed. Not enough fruit flavor. I was hoping it would be a little bit sour.
I would recommend checking it out for the Whiskey Porter on a quieter night. Maybe go for dinner to avoid being jostled around at the bar.
You can eat in, you can order out.
Lots of interesting beers to try, gotta have that Cherry Raspberry Ale.
Chef Luca Burger.
-Smoked Gouda Cheese
-Guacamole
-Bacon
-Cherry Raspberry Ale BBQ Sauce
-Crispy Onions
this bitch is loaded with stuff you want and need.
Fries bite back in a good way.
When your wife calls and says "I've had a terrible day at work, would you like to go out for a beer," you do like I did... turn off whatever you were cooking on the stove, and tell her you'll leave in five minutes to meet her.
And so we met at Brown's. Â The "beer of the day" was an American Wheat Ale ($3.75 /16 oz all day) - 5% abv, crisp, slightly fruity, unfiltered. Â The Pumpkin Ale ($5.25 /16 oz every day) - 7% abv, nice mahogany-bronze color, a hint of orange, and in my opinion, NOT sweet and spicy like a pumpkin pie, but slightly sweet, dry and clean tasting. Â Those beers kept us satisfied while we ordered and discussed a day at work.
My wife chose one of the day's specials, the Mushroom, Beef and Swiss Quesadilla ($11.99) - chopped steak, caramelized onions, mushrooms and imported Swiss in a flour tortilla, served with Brown's chipotle ketchup, sour cream and salsa. Â Other than a couple pieces of grizzle, this was very good, especially the chipotle ketchup.
I ordered a Hickory Chicken Sandwich ($10.49) - southern fried with cheddar, bacon, cherry raspberry ale BBQ sauce, crispy onions, lettuce, and tomato on a ciabatta roll. Â Very tasty, but difficult to eat since the roll was very thick and the BBQ sauce made the chicken slide out of the sandwich. Â The accompanying fries were reallllly good dipped in my wife's chipotle ketchup.
An Oatmeal Stout ($4.75 /16 oz) - 5.5% abv, was its usual flavorful, award-winning self. Â Their Oktoberfest ($4.75 /16 oz) - 5.5% abv, was nice, with a slight sweetness, but not as flavorful as one I had recently at Druther's in Saratoga.
Service was good, but the upstairs dining area was drafty and cold until they closed an adjacent door and more people sat in the area. Â Bottom like, Brown's makes some excellent beers. Â Without the beer, I'd probably only go 3 stars, however.
We loved the vibe of this place. Â the Cherry Wheat beer was tasty. Â The atmosphere was jovial and the place was packed at 6pm on a weekend. Â The food selection was expansive. Â But when it came down to it, the food was just ok. Â It had a very chain restaurant look and taste even though Brown's is not a chain. Â Although the wings were somewhat tasty they were breaded. Â we are not fans of breaded wings. Â The nachos were huge and tasty but beyond the first layer of goodness we were left with a pile of naked chips. Â We didn't have high hopes for the food since this is a brew pub but we at least expected the pub food to be very good. Â It was just ok. Â The beer and service was great though.
Review Source:Browns food is delicious. Their beer is delicious. In fact, I go there more for the beer! The patio is a great spot in the spring and summer, especially after Rockin' on the River concerts.
The service is often slow or confused, and the bar is often crowded. I usually go with a small group like 5-6 people and get a table in a decent amount of time. I recommend trying it on a weeknight!
Trivia on Monday nights is fun too.
I'm not one for giving a restaurant a 5 star rating, but Browns deserves it. Â They have become a local favorite with great beer and food and a wonderful atmosphere to relax and enjoy it all.
Browns is a great place to go spend time with friends, to go on a date, or to enjoy the locally brewed beer which tastes great. Â They have a decent beer selection to choose from and always have something new in the mix to spruce up the list. Â The better beer to go for is the Whiskey Porter, Cherry Raspberry Ale, and the Hefeweizen. Â I did try the Pumpkin Ale last Autumn and it was interesting, where it was kind of like a liquid pumpkin pie, which I honestly thought it was good. Â Overall, the beer is very flavorful and Browns gets it right with the ingredients that they use.
Browns has one of the better pub menus in the Capital District, with dishes that they incorporate their own beer into the recipes. Â For appetizers, their wings are meaty and delicious, especially with there Cherry Raspberry Ale BBQ sauce, and the beer pretzels with their Pale Ale mustard is simply a must. Â For the meal I tend to go with the Chef Luca Burger as a safe bet, but have gone with Fish and Chips, Sage's Pasta, and their Classic Reuben, all delicious and hearty. Â The wife goes for the Smokestack Wrap (replaced with the Gobbler Wrap), but even though it's off of the menu now the staff still makes it on request.
The staff at Browns is also great and very helpful. Â They know when to assist and do a great job with keeping up on the drinks. Â I cannot recall ever having an issue while visiting Browns.
If you're looking for a new microbrewery, great food, and good times, Browns has it all. Â I highly recommend them so give them a try if you haven't done so already!
Had an early dinner here the other day as Mr. Manager and I were in Troy for a quick alma mater stop. He used to frequent this place so he knew it would be sufficient for a quick dinner before we hit the road again.
The food was the same gastro pub food you'd find at most other similar establishments. The ranch dressing was pretty delicious. The staff was super friendly and the place is enormous. Â They had a pretty extensive beer selection, which was awesome.
I'd probably come here again the next time I'm in Troy.
This review is only for the private area party area. Â
My sister-in-law had her rehearsal dinner at Brown's Brewing and I was stoked to give a go. Â The venue was pretty awesome and we were only in the private area, so it's a bit hard to comment on the actual restaurant/pub area. Â Toward the end of the evening we wandered out back onto the patio and I was surprised - it was packed (given it was a Friday night), but after being so secluded I didn't realize. Â The event space was nice and had a stage and plenty of room for seating.
The staff was extremely friendly and get major props for making my step-daughter a grilled cheese sandwich during a buffet style dinner since she didn't like anything at all that was served. Â I, however, loved the food. Â They had a chicken dish that was great. Â The bartender was quick and ready to help people pick out beers they'd like if they weren't sure. Â I look forward to coming back sometime and giving their actual restaurant a try.
While there, I tried three of their beers. Â The first was the IPA. Â It was good, but not nearly as hoppy as beers I'm used to in the PNW. Â The brown was pretty good too, but somewhat unremarkable, but then again I'm not a big brown fan. Â Lastly, was their whiskey porter. Â It was boozy and delicious. Â I was floored with how good it was and would definitely come back here for that beer. Â
Overall, it was a really positive experience and I look forward to having a more "normal" experience with them.
Pretzels, pretzels, pretzels!!!! They are fantastic here. The mustard sauce that comes with them is especially good. The burgers are also good, as is the Thai shrimp wrap. I'm not a beer connoisseur, so I can't speak to their brewing prowess. But, they have a serviceable wine list.
Also, Monday night trivia is very fun here.
What a fabulous lunch experience we had here today. The interior looked kind of dark, so considering the gorgeous weather we jumped at the chance to sit outside on the deck at the back of the restaurant. The deck was beautiful, with a very nice view overlooking the river, Things got off to a great start and never faltered. We were informed that in honor of Mother's Day, a free six-beer sampler was offered as a gift to the Mom in our party. We had fun looking at the list of over a dozen beers to pick the six. It was great that they served the samples with a printout of what they were --other brew pubs haven't done this in our experience. We also ordered 16 oz. glasses of the Whiskey Porter ($5.25) and Pale Ale ($4.75). Â The Porter was smooth, creamy and delicious. I don't like IPA's, so I didnt try theirs, but my son enjoyed it. Â
Our food was a pulled pork sandwich ($10.29), an Uncle Sam Burger ($9.99), and I ordered the Mussels Bahama ($11.99). Â I enjoy mussels, and I was sold by the unusual combination of ingredients in the broth - Â "Steamed in Coconut Milk, Ginger, Garlic, Scallions, Mango, Jerk Seasoning and Cherry Raspberry Ale." Believe me, it tastes as good as it reads.
Lunch cost $52 and it was one of the most enjoyable meals we have had in a long time. The cool wall mural of Uncle Sam (after all, Troy N.Y. IS the home of Uncle Sam!) waving a beer mug was pretty nifty..
I've been going to Brown's at least twice a year since 2005..I've all ready been there at least three times this year and I'm going again this week. I'd give them four stars because I love the atmosphere, Â I've had nothing but excellent food there and their beer is wonderful. However, they lose a star because of what seems like the ever-changing menu. I'm not happy with the fact they've changed the menu so much in the last few years. I used to get the River Street Salmon and it would be good every single time. Then they changed chefs and the menu. It would kinda be touch and go for a while with that menu. I think they just got another chef because the menu has changed again. I found something I liked last month, it's a salmon dish and well, I was there Friday night and it was not on the menu. I got the black bean burger and it was really good.
I wouldn't hesitate to have a small gathering in the Trojan Room upstairs and I love sitting on the deck The beer is yummy and I've never been disappointed no matter what I've ordered. Â I've never really had a problem with service there either. They are very good at what they do at Brown's,
Oh, and their ranch dressing is among the best I've ever had!
Suppose you've got a friend---a real nice guy, and everyone wants to be around him. And then one day he goes and huffs a whole carton of glue. A real big wiff. He can't really count anymore, and he slurs his words a little, but every once in a while he's got a good story to tell. That's Brown's.
Too bad they forgot how to make nachos, but sometimes you can get a decent hamburger.
I really wish I could give Brown's better review, but I just cannot. Â I brought friends from Philly here on a Saturday night after a recommendation from some friends that went to RPI. Â
It was packed and we were lucky to get a table by the bar, as the seating upstairs was full up with an hour wait. Â I enjoyed the beer, it was good but nothing special. Â We had the pretzels and the Asian Calamari to start, which were pretty decent, but not worth the 30 minute wait. Â For dinner we had the Haddock Po Boy, Pulled Pork and Veggie Black Bean Burger and they were not good. Â It took almost an hour and half to come out AFTER our apps. Â The Haddock was bland, the tomatoes were barely red and the fries were completely cold. Â I was scared to complain cause god know it would have taken 3 hours to get fresh fries out of the kitchen. Â
Overall I was sorely disappointed and I know for sure we will never be returning!
Visited Brown's on a recommendation from Keegan Ales in Kingston.
This is a great place occupying a great space! Finding Brown's was super simple and street parking is available everywhere.
There are some halfhearted reviews for the food, my meal was very good, no complaints. Tried the pasta with shrimp. Everyone looked happy with their meals, so grading on the "I know nothing about Troy so until I find another brewpub with better food" curve; you get the 5 Stars.
The beer in the main attraction here. Friendly servers offer a taste before you commit. They sell by the growler.
Hmmm beer.
Packed, cheerful environment with lots of young to middle aged folks and cuties to keep your eyes darting around.
The bar food wasn't all that good and I was not inspired to return. Â The beer was OK I guess. Â The service was OK. Â The semi-attractive waitress was trying not to look at me too much since I was with a girl, but she couldn't seem to resist.
Considering the hype from an assortment of clowns who never seem to recommend good restaurants/bars, it was a let down. Â I will say the overall experiences is sort'a enjoyable -- good vibe in the place.
Can a pub call itself a pub if the wings aren't any good? Â
I only tried 3 dishes and got the beer sampler thing.
+ The oatmeal stout and whiskey cask porter are some of the best beers I've ever had. Others seem to agree as these two beers have won some prestigious awards in the past.
+ The Old Hickory Burger (bacon, cheddar, smoky cherry raspberry ale BBQ sauce) was and still is my favorite burger of all time.
+ Revolution Hall is right next door!
+ The bar seating is very cozy and the upstairs dining area is very laid back.
+ They sell their own six packs at the bar, as well as growlers. A few local packies are even stocking a few of their beers now!
+ Get the nachos. GET THE NACHOS.
- Not many unique beers, however the ones on tap year round and the seasonals are ALL delicious.
- The service has always been hit or miss. On two separate occasions I have had unpleasant dealings with what seems to be the owner.
I miss Browns. Sigh.
The usual song I hear is, "sorry we just ran out". Â
I know they have been trying to beef up their menu from usual pub fare for the last several years, but anything that I have tried has been ho hum. Â The burgers and other pub fare are excellent. Â Â I asked for medium rare and I got medium rare (which is a huge improvement from before when burgers were always served a la hockey puck). Â The sweet potato fries were nice and crisp but could have been served hotter. Â Stick to the pub fare and avoid the attempts at entrees which they shouldn't even be trying.
Da beer is good...if they actually manage to have what you want on tap.
The waitress was okay. Â It was a TNO friday and they were busy but she was not all that attentive and I don't think we would have had here attention at all if it wasn't for us being an assertive 3 top table. Â I did not get the extra pickles that I requested and that made me very very very sad. Â
I'll keep going back because I like the brew but always set my expectations low for service and know to avoid anything on the menu other than the pub fare.
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