This place is a true gem. PA home cooking at its finest. Great value and service. love the old bank decor too. read more

Brownstone Cafe - Chicken Pot pie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Middletown, Pennsylvania

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This was my second visit to Brownstone Cafe, and it was just as enjoyable as the first. The restaurant was a former bank, and still holds some of the historic banks characteristics. You can see the old vault in the waitress station with a list of which banked historically occupied the building. The restaurants has perfect charm and atmosphere with tall windows and a second level of seating that overlooks the bottom floor. The menu had many options for whatever you may be craving. I had the Balboa Stuffed French Toast with blueberries which was paired with fresh fruit. My friend had English muffins with sausage and gravy. We could tell that the sausage gravy was made from scratch since there were big chunks of sausage in it. Both meals were filling and portioned well, and most importantly, delicious! The restaurant was packed when we arrived at around 9:00am, and continued to be busy when we left around 10:00am. There's usually a wait time for parties of two or more, but it's not very long since they're able to fit a lot of tables into the restaurant. This is the perfect stop for a homemade breakfast when you're in the Middletown area! Add it to your list! read more

Brownstone Cafe - Balboa French Toast with blueberries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Middletown, Pennsylvania

My experience at this local gem has always been a positive one. I'm a central Pennsylvania native, but relocated to Arizona in 2014. Each time I return to the Harrisburg area to see friends and family, I make it a point to dine at this café for the great food and kind serving staff. They make you feel as though you're part of the family. One of my favorite dishes is the seafood chemise, which consists of shrimp, scallops, crab, and mushrooms in a sherry cream sauce, all wrapped in phyllo dough. It has a thin and crispy golden exterior and all that creamy goodness waiting inside. For seafood lovers such as me, it's a must try. But plan carefully - this special dish is only available on Fridays! I dined in today and as usual, was not disappointed. I only wish I were home more often to share in a Brownstone dinner with those I hold dear. I am very pleased with how Brownstone is handling their cleaning and social distancing practices given the challenges associated with COVID-19. Fewer patrons are currently allowed to dine in, providing extra space between tables and creating a larger safety buffer. Masks are required to enter and exit, and are only removed once seated at your table. If dining in a restaurant isn't for you quite yet, I understand. I only started going back into restaurants in the last couple of weeks. For those who don't feel ready, they offer to-go orders by phone. In summary, I'm grateful for this iconic spot that I've been visiting since I was 12 years old when they opened (1998); I'm now 34. I strongly recommend you check it out! read more

Brownstone Cafe - Seafood Chemise with Mashed Potatoes and Chicken Gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Middletown, Pennsylvania

Beautiful building & the staff is absolutely AMAZING! Everyone was SO incredibly friendly & the service was AMAZING also! However, the food was really bland. Unfortunately, it's just not tasty at all. read more

Stumbled upon this restaurant as I got off the Middletown train station and this was the closest restaurant I could find within walking distance. From the outside, it does not look like a restaurant. For good reason too. I realized that the building used to be an old bank from the early 1900s. The interior does have a very antique feeling. There are two floors with the second floor overlooking the first. The floors are all carpeted, including the staircase leading up to the second floor. Food was yummy and gave me a homey feeling. I got the breakfast special which included eggs, bacon, homefries, and toast. The toast was buttery and warm. It even came with a mini blueberry muffin, sweet little surprise. Overall, I was really glad to come across this historic gem of a restaurant. Felt so comfortable eating in the restaurant, as if I was right at home! read more

Brownstone Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Middletown, Pennsylvania

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If you haven't eaten here, you should. This restaurant is located in a beautiful building from the 1800's with convenient parking right around the back. The staff is very friendly. The food is good and the portions are huge. A better menu and better quality food than the average diner. But, definitely a menu full of comfort foods. The prices are very reasonable too. read more

I'll start off by saying that the service is great. That's about where the fun stops. The cream of crab soup looked like porridge, I mean seriously I was looking for coffee creamer to thin it out. The baked chicken pie suffered the same. The cooks must have a roux fetish. You could bind books with the stuff. I'd return but definitely refrain from anything cream sauce based. The Reuben was average. My son's meatloaf dinner was a clean plate. Definitely a place geared towards the elderly. read more

Father and daughter went there multiple times after been there decades before still as good as it was back then

I just missed breakfast Small lunch menu. good prices &Good atmosphere Deserts to die for!! read more

These days when I see a crowded breakfast place on a Sunday I don't even put down a name. Staffing and service issues, understandable as they are, make waits too long in most cases. I was pleased to see the dedication to service and speed at the cafe on a packed Sunday morning with large AND small parties. And the quality of the breakfast fare was excellent. The staff was courteous and attentive and the price excellent. read more

Great food including old fashioned favorites, seafood, homemade desserts. Friendly staff.

I came here just for the flounder. It's usually really good. Today I got two small pieces that were mostly batter. My husband ordered the same thing and even he noticed his pieces were much thicker and bigger. I shared my disappointment with the waitress. She spoke to the manager and she said they weigh all their pieces. The waitress was really sorry but the manager couldn't even come and speak to us. It was really obvious that the pieces were not the same weight. I guess we don't deserve an apology from the manager. It was my last meal in PA before going back to Florida. I wish I had gone somewhere else. I'm not sure I will be back when I visit again. read more

Service was great! Food was fresh, hot and amazingly good! I wish we lived close so I could frequent this restaurant! I would definitely recommend!!! read more

Great food in a neat old building. Very local, several waitresses knew the customers coming in. The ladies here are fantastic! Went in for breakfast. Their portions are rather large for the price($11 for the meal and a decent tip). Highly recommended if you want a quick bite or want to sit and chat. read more

Just get the Balboa French Toast and the best waitress Kim! Great baked oatmeal get the small bowl its enough! Great atmosphere!

Nice cafe/diner in an old brownstone that used to be a bank. Stopped here on way home from Hershey and I am glad I found it on Yelp. Very friendly and good service. All the food tasted homemade. Ordered pierogies for appetizer. Great flavor, good crisp from the pan fry and good sauteed onions. Only complaint was it was pretty oily. Had chicken sandwich. Bread was buttered and toasted, grilled chicken very fresh and soft. Good fries as well. Others ordered BLT, cheesesteak sandwich and quesadilla which everyone said they enjoyed their food. Will definitely visit again if in the area. read more

Brownstone Cafe - Chicken sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Middletown, Pennsylvania

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We've been a dozen or so times for dine in and take away and it's so incredibly well run and the food is consistently great. The seafood combo is really amazing. Highly recommend. read more

This building was an old bank. It was very crowded but we didn't have to wait long. I equate the menu to a diner menu with lots of home cooking and offerings. They had Turkey dinners, Caesar salads, spaghetti, stir fry and more! Comfort food at its finest. read more

This place never disappoints. Delicious food, friendly and efficient service. Exceptional value for the taste. Quaint setting.

Out of towners just driving through. What a great meal we had. Inside a remodeled bank with friendly servers and fast hot food service. They have amazing seasonal specials that were exceptional. I had the corn pie which you can tell was just shuck from the cob for this delicious twist on chicken pot pie. Real mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables. Definitely recommend this cafe! read more

Brownstone Cafe - Corn Pie (seasonal) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Middletown, Pennsylvania

One of our favorite places to eat, especially for breakfast. Food is always delicious, prices are incredibly reasonable, and portion sizes are very generous. Service is always outstanding. I very highly recommend!! read more

I have ate here numerous times but finally got around to a review. Staff/decor: the staff is always friendly. The decor is older but it has a cool setup as it was a old bank. They still have the old vault and everything. It can get busy around 4-5pm as it is frequented by older individuals around this time. The food is good all around and they offer a big menu with many classic PA Dutch foods. The only issue I have is nothing I have ever had here is outstanding. I never feel the need to go back here soon. Do not get me wrong the food is good but it's just nothing is worth a trip out of the way. read more

Good food, good service. Friendly staff and reasonable prices. I would recommend for lunch or dinner

Cool building, literal brownstone in an old bank with a model train set up! Large menu with breakfast, lunch and dinner items. Friendly, courteous staff. Very clean. Good food at reasonable prices. We had lunch and our meals didn't take long at all. Wait staff were quick to refill drinks and bring the check. read more

Brownstone Cafe is a true historic gem. Just outside the airport, it's the perfect stop for a bite to eat. There are two doors which will both receive you a quick friendly greeting. The establishment is an old bank with many odd the same characteristics. We were sat under the extension and it looks lovely upstairs. Might be a return visit with a requested seating location. We had coffee and water within seconds and ordering was simple. The menu is well laid out and leaves little room for question. I ordered a create my own omelette which came with a mini blueberry muffinette and choice of toast. The meal also included potatoes which were perfectly cooked with the perfect amount of crunch. There was always someone walking around for coffee refills and paying was just as easy. We will definitely return. What a wonderful atmosphere and staff! read more

I live their breakfast! Service is always great and efficient. Consistently good food.

Honestly, I don't see what the hype is about. I always hate to leave a bad review, but I'm being honest here. The service was wonderful. Our server was very attentive and I couldn't ask for anything more, that's why I added an extra star. We walk in about 1:45, and the place smells fishy. Not a good start. We are seated and we are attended to quickly. They have a big menu, so I'm already expecting a bunch of fresh-off-the-Syco truck food. Importantly, they apparently don't offer breakfast or brunch on Sunday as we were only given a lunch/dinner menu. But I remained hopeful. Hubby orders the fish sandwich with chips, I order the California Cheeseburger Wrap. Hubby said his fish was "pretty good," and it looked good too. Now, maybe I don't know what a California Cheeseburger Wrap is...but what I got was not even close to what I was expecting. It's simply advertised as "tomato, lettuce, sautéed onion and mayonnaise in a sun dried tomato wrap." And in theory, that's true. Except...the burger meat was ground beef (I was expecting a patty), and the tomato and onion were diced. Unfortunately, even with all these ingredients, this was literally the most tasteless thing I've ever eaten. No seasoning to be found anywhere. All I could taste was the American cheese. Like I stated earlier, maybe a California Cheeseburger Wrap is made with ground beef instead of a burger patty. But being from PA versus CA, maybe that should be part of the menu description. I ate 1/2...attempted to eat the other 1/2 (hey, I was hungry), and it fell completely apart because it wasn't wrapped particularly well. I didn't eat it. I opted for fries versus the soup. Fries were hot (always a plus) and manufactured to look like fresh-cut, but were unfortunately frozen fries (always a bummer). Looking around the dining room, I could see lots of dishes full of Sysco rolls, coleslaw and other products. However, the service was great and MAYBE I'd return for breakfast. But for lunch/dinner, there are many other choices I'd choose before I ate here again. read more

Menu hasn't changed in YEARS! Many would think that's a bad thing, but why mess up something wonderful! Great spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Try the all you can eat chicken and waffles! (PA Dutch style- chicken and gravy topped.) The waffles are the lightest I've ever tasted. read more

I was at the Brownstone Cafe for dinner and it was just a bit off. Not only was there an bathroom door. ( We were on the second floor) The service was not as good as I have become accustomed when in the Cafe. I am not sure what the issue was and I am not going to leapfrog to the obvious two. This time though the server was very attentive to some of our party while ignoring others. The best part for me is that she saved me a lot of money since this is the first time I've ever given a 10% tip... and I only gave that because her other teammate was redemptive. I think if I return I'll stick to the older ladies who work the first floor. They are attentive to everyone in the party not just a few select people and my tips reflect the service they have given. read more

great food, friendly staff and prices are competitive! very nice old building! parking is a little tight but it's well worth it!

Amazing place to eat! Always enjoy my food and have a good time with family in this great atmosphere, the service is fantastic and all the waitresses are lovely! read more

Really disappointed, haven't been here in years and got breakfast, specifically eggs benedict It was cold and just tasted weird The coffee cup was also dirty around the brim which completely freaked me out I won't be back and hopefully I dont get sick read more

Verdict: A fan favorite, but not quite money in the bank. I find myself a little torn with Brownstone. I love how they kept some of the charm and items from the old bank. The décor and general ambiance also dates back in a charming, rather than a dated way. The food is good but, for me, it stops short of being great. That's the kicker. Out of town guests and a lot of Middletown locals love coming to Brownstone. The things I mentioned and a home style menu are probably the biggest draws, though there isn't much competition in the immediate area either. On my last visit, I had the French onion soup and a Reuben with pastrami and fries. In hindsight, I would've give with the turkey instead of pastrami but that would not have lessened much of the greasy feel of the sandwich. Most of that came from the heavily buttered bread. The soup was good. Again, just nothing great or otherwise noteworthy. I like Brownstone. I hope they stay around for a long time and keep some of their old charm. I'm just not likely to be a frequent patron because I'm a foodie at heart and stomach. If you go, do a little exploring while you're here. The vault door is neat and poke your head into the upstairs bathroom. It's unusual and interesting for that reason. read more

Brownstone Cafe - Reuben with pastrami and fries. Heavily buttered bread left it feeling too greasy. A shame, really. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Middletown, Pennsylvania

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We had an early flight out of Harrisburg and decided to stop here for breakfast. The exterior and interior were photo worthy! Such a neat spot. Service was fast and friendly. Our food came out quickly and was exactly what we were looking for. Big portions and great flavor! My husbands burrito was the best one we have had in while. We will definitely return! read more

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Consistency- good food and good service. There are many favorites but finish your meal with strawberry pie if in season

Great atmosphere. Great food. Great service. Had a party of 6 on a Saturday evening with MacKensie as our server. Everything came out hot and was yummy. Highlights were honey dipped chicken, broiled haddock, fried clam strips, and turkey dinners. The other wait staff was very helpful too giving opinions of their favorite dishes. Highly recommend! read more

Pleasant staff and awesome food. We will be back since they are convenient to our new place in Middletown

Omg it was so bad it was funny. My husband and I were in tears laughing. From the Hamburger bun dinner roll to the dog food consistency food. Absolutely everything tasted the same. Bland. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms ( those were actually good) the the broiled shrimp and scallops with garlic mashed and corn. Absolutely no flavor at all! And the stuffed cabbage with garlic mashed and corn. It was unbelievable how tasteless the food was and how awfulit looked. The waitress didn't know much about the food. Every table she went to all we heard her say was "I don't know" lol she did ask we what she could do to make up for my food which I didn't even touch. But at that point we had such a good laugh I told her not to worry it wasn't her fault. We paid full bill and left a good tip. So if you want an "experience" and you're not hungry swing by... read more

Brownstone Cafe - Stuffed cabbage - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Middletown, Pennsylvania

Good: beautiful exterior, very reasonably priced, big portions, extra friendly wait staff, make your own omelets, yummy home fries. Takes credit cards. Bad: poorly lit, outdated furniture/seating, smells a little musky, skimpy bacon. read more

Brownstone Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Middletown, Pennsylvania

Food was good as well service. I do recommend this place. The atmosphere is very welcoming