Ellyngton’s At The Brown Palace

It’s been several years since my last visit for Brunch. Today was the first time for mom. The buffet was good, but seemed less bountiful that I remembered. The service was not-​so-​good. When I made the reservation (and again when they called to confirm) I mentioned this was mom’s 76^th birthday. I expected at least an acknowledgement. But not a word was said by the hostess, maitre d’ or server. Frankly, the server was inattentive throughout our visit. So much so, the waiter’s assistant (is busboy still an acceptable term?) cleared our table while we were at the dessert station. All in all it was disappointing, even though mom enjoyed herself. I expected more.

If you’re a guest at the Brown Palace (which is a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel), it is important to know that your status gives you a perk here. Gold and Platinum members I believe receive a voucher for every morning for two people to receive $ 16 off their bill ($ 32 total). The host was charming and friendly and all of the staff were attentive. The meals in my experience ranged from $ 9 — $ 30 when you added coffee or tea. These were my meals over the course of the week:
Day 1 — Superfood Smoothie (Spinach, Banana, cashews, apple, honey and cucumber) & Side of Fruit (LOTS of banana and berries). The smoothie was good, and was large. I drank about half and was able to get the rest in a to go cup. You can definitely taste the cashews!
Day 2 — Creamed Chipped Beef — Shaved Beef in Bechamel on Grilled Sourdough. This dish had way too much creamed gravy (Bechamel?). The flavor was great, but if I were to order this again I would have asked for the Bechamel on the side so that I could choose the amount. I have included a picture and the meal is just swimming in it.
Day 3 — Lobster and Crab Omelet — Crab & Lobster Meat, Fresh Herbs, Caviar and Crème Fraiche. I decided to have this omlet because it seemed pretty adventurous with the seafood in an egg omelet. I think overall the flavor was interesting but I wouldn’t order it again. The portion is huge and is generously filled with lobster and crab chunks. The caviar is on the top with a crème that is good. I never really got to the point where I thought this was excellent due to the combination of the seafood and the omelet. The sourdough toast came buttered and was great.
Overall I think this was a great place to conduct a business meal (I had two breakfasts with coworkers at the restaurant). I would recommend to friends and colleagues.

Yikes was this a let down! My husband and I stopped in for lunch during a workday and had the worst meal! We ordered a sandwich and a wrap, both served cold and took 40 minutes to come out. Both were less than mediocre (I’ve had MUCH better at sports bars for ¹⁄₃ the price), tiny and skimped on the meat. We also requested no tomatoes which, of course, they put on the wrap anyway. Our waiter was no where to be found during the meal. My husband later admitted he was still upset about the meal hours after returning to work. Perhaps their brunch is better but I will not be returning to find out. I was very surprised because I enjoy having lunch at Ships Tavern although overpriced, and expected more from Ellyngton’s.

Great breakfast, had the eggs Benedict, which was finished in shaved truffles. The room itself is amazing and it is the perfect level of elegance without being overbearing, and our waiter Anton was great. He took the time to answer my questions and shared hotel history.
Will definitely return.

While staying at the classic Brown Palace hotel had several breakfasts in this hotel restaurant.
Atmosphere here is elegant and quiet most mornings. Service is attentive and very accommodating. My favorite breakfast was the crab and lobster omelette (a lot more crab than lobster, but a generous portion inside) , served with crispy hash browns and toast. The other omelettes are good, although I found my denver to be a little dry. An interesting note is that the regular omelette are priced at 17 and the crab and lobster was only a dollar more at 18 (definitely a better relative value). Prices are a little high as one would expect considering the location. If here during the holidays, definitely check out the decked out hotel lobby.

Brunch at its finest. .
Organic something would be great and fresh squeezed juices even if there was a upcharge.
Probably won’t go again.

My boyfriend and I got breakfast which was ok. Nothing special. The service was very quick and on point. I guess the better days to come are on the weekends for brunch and not a Tuesday morning.

So we ate breakie here while staying at the brown palace. Menu was disappointing for the price. I ordered an omelette with onions, peppers and green chiles. It arrived a couple of minutes after my wife’s meal which I thought was weird and then I cut into my omelette. I was surprised to see it filled with ham chunks and cheddar (I’d ordered Swiss!). The waitress took it assuring me she had just picked up the wrong plate but she didn’t reappear for another 7 minutes so in sure it was recoiled. Of course because it came on a cold plate it was tepid when served (tepid eggs? Yuck!). I asked her to have it removed from the bill (why did I have to ask?!?). Plans to top it all off I spent the morning throwing up so they poisoned me too!
Omelette was cold, thick, veggies were not cooked in… It was a bad omelette and a bad experience!

Yes. It IS expensive. Expect to spend more than $ 100.00 per couple, more if you order champagne (Dom Peringon is on the menu). It might bust your budget, but for a special occasion, you can’t do better than the Brown.
Classic elegance, epic history, and impeccable service are just the start. The food is fabulous. In addition to the typical brunch stuff, you get a sushi bar, an amazing dessert array, and jumbo shrimp. I am a brunch fan, and this one is the best around. The biggest variety and the highest quality.
You should try it at least once. It might bust your budget, but it’s definitely the best brunch you’ll find.

Ellyngton’s for brunch was a pleasant surprise. First suprise was how good the coffee was. Not that watery brown stuff — real, black coffee. For the coffee alone I would eat brunch here. The food was standard, well prepared brunch food — no organic or nitrate-​free items. Service was very good. The room dining room is old fashioned elegant and quiet, which I REALLY appreciate as it is exhausting to have to shout through meals at most other restaurants.
Rather shocking to me was the attire of some of the other diners. Do I really need to see oozing chest and rear end cleavages, baseball hats, and stupid-​saying-​T-​shirts in a dining space known for elegance? Is nobody teaching men to take off their hats when dining? Do people forget they’re in public and not still in their beds?

This review is for the (non-​holiday) Sunday Brunch Buffet.
Reminiscent of a small but high end vegas buffet. Lamb roast, corned beef & cabbage, fried cod, cold shrimp, mussels, oysters, scary looking sushi, salads, cold meats and cheese. An omelete station, or you could ask for Eggs Benedict on gluten free bread (no gluten full bread offered) Bananas Foster cooked to order, a chocolate fountain.
With the exception of the sushi everything looked fresh and what I tasted was good. But nothing was outstanding.
The coffee was the best thing… Allegro, very good. Also got water and OJ.
We didnot add bubbly but could have for $ 10-​$ 20 more p/​p.
Without bubbles, $ 54 per adult.
Service was great, and valet ticket was compd.
And the live band was a pleasant touch.
I might return with my out of town parents, otherwise I probably will try a different brunch buffet next time.

I had the «Champagne Brunch.» Paid my money and they were SO STINGY with the Champagne. After the first glass they gave me a half glass refill. Then the waiter was very difficult for getting anymore. I’m not looking for something for nothing. They advertised, I purchased and they created a really unfortunate experience. If you’re looking for a nice weekend brunch… look elsewhere.

We had the breakfast buffet that was included in our stay. I honestly cannot tell you if I’ve ever had better orange juice. The wait staff was prompt and got us water and OJ before we’d even looked at our menu. The buffet had a omelet station, they had pastries made in house, pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausage, fruit, blintz, and you could have them make you a eggs Benedict all for only $ 20! It was a total steal and a great way to end our stay. I would highly recommend eating here!

Came for Sunday brunch and had a wonderful time.
Enjoyed an omelet prepared while I waited. The variety was amazing, including waffles with raspberry sauce, pecans and powdered sugar, blueberry and cheese blitzes, homemade pastries, and the list goes on and on. For the ultimate decadence, make sure to attend Easter brunch. The choices are dazzling and impeccably prepared. Dreaming of their champagne jello and ice sculptures!
The waitstaff is top notch. Napkins get refolded when you leave the table, coffee cups are always filled quickly, and they remember you after just a visit or 2. You can tell many customers are regulars and they are warmly greeted.

Champagne Brunch: Ok — Bullet point break-​down:
Ambience 4 stars — A bit out dated but still very elegant in such a historic place.
Entertainment 5 stars — The jazz band is awesome!
Food Selection 5 stars — holy moly, there is everything here!
Food Quality 2 to 3 stars — Everything was decent, nothing was outstanding. Another Unilocaler compared the quality to cruise ship food. That is spot on.
Service 3 stars — our server was alright.
Price to what-​you-​get ratio 3 stars — Very expensive $$$$ — that is 4 dollar signs — for not the most amazing food, but because there is SO MUCH available and the ambience is lovely it deserves a solid 3 A-​OK stars.
Recommend that you go? If you can afford to blow $ 70 per person, go once. You’ll enjoy the experience.

The breakfast buffet was awesome with made-​to-​order omelets and Benedicts. Kids under 5 eat free! The pastries are made fresh daily on site and the coffee is organic. If you get there early on Mother’s Day, there’s room to breathe. The service was great and the atmosphere was rich with history.
Make sure you get a reservation in advance, though.

Where culinary students come to practice before doing internship on a cruise line. The Brown is a beautiful, historic and iconic landmark that should have 5-​star dining. But, afternoon tea is just about the only real 5-​star refreshment they pull-​off. Sure they got ice carvings, a seafood bar, and a replete gluttonous smörgåsbord, but nothing knocks my socks off. They are going through the motions for the most part; I’d say the same thing for the service. If you are having in-​laws from out-​of-​town for Mother’s Day, this is a great place, older people love overpaying for above-​average buffets

One of the best brunches have ever had. Housed in the historic and gracious Brown Palace hotel, I find the busy wallpaper garish and the rest of the room a bit dated but that is the whole of any negative critique.
The service is fantastic napkins re– folded at every departure from the table, coffee, water and juice re-​filled at evey sip. While all th other waiters have an over view — I.e., banans foster and omelettes cooked to order — our waiter was a bit disinterested. He was young and not keen on the highest level of service. But the supporting staff was spectacular.
But oh the food! Jumbo shrimp sushi, an array of amazing cheeses, gnocchi in sage garlic and butter pork loin, carved prime rein, bacon hashies and on and on all of the highest quality and distinction. Fresh orange juice.
The sweet bar is A++., with crème brûlée the aforementioned Banana’s Foster with premises made ice cream, a an array of little darling mini bakery items I loved the chocolate/​Bailey’s drink you can add to your coffee.
And all this accompanied by a jazz trio playing standards from Gershwin, etc…
Four persons with tip cost $ 260. With no drinks. Worth every penny.

3 stars because I was expecting better quality for the price.
I’ve been to many brunches and this has to be toward the bottom of my list. I was honestly not impressed at all. All the food was subpar. They had a pretty descent spread ranging from typical breakfast foods like eggs, pancakes, waffles, bacon and sausage, to a carving station with lamb and top sirloin, to seafood, and desserts. Unfortunately the meat from the carving station was chewy and very dry, even with added au jus. The seafood station had a bunch of options, so I went a little crazy there. I absolutely LOVE seafood. But, the sushi looked inedible to me so I didn’t take any (I’m really picky about my sushi). They have a huge dessert spread but the only thing I was impressed by was the bananas foster. The chef cooking it for us was really nice and talked to us the whole time she was making it.
What I did enjoy was their honey cured salmon. Our server told us that they use fresh honey from their beehives on the roof. The salmon was delicious. I got seconds. Also, unlike a lot of other buffets, you order eggs benedict and they make it fresh for you so the egg is still runny. Lastly, their «mimosas» aren’t really mimosas. They give you a full glass of champagne and just keep filling it up. You can ask for a small caraffe of OJ to make your own mimosas which I thought was awesome! You could make it as strong or weak as you want. I opted to just drink the champagne and OJ separately. The OJ was really good so I liked drinking it on its own.
Overall, I don’t think I would come here again. I enjoyed the food better at Zengo and it was $ 20 cheaper.

They really do an amazing Sunday Brunch with live Jazz music. Good service. Pricey but an excellent idea for a special occasion. Book WAY in advance for Easter, Mother’s Day, ect. Easy Valet Parking at the main entrance to Brown Palace.
This is a Champange Brunch so you will always find a few loud and extra chatty tables that have had a few too many drinks… but just adds to the entertainment. =)
Plenty of fresh seafood including some sushi and fresh oysters on the half shell, all the usual breakfast fare, loads of fruits and cheeses, a few special dishes and carving station. Another guest (that had way too many drinks) insisted that I try the hot chocolate shots at the dessert station. So glad I did. I’m not a big chocolate fan but I still dream about that little glass of hot, think, rich, melted chocolate goodness. Had a bit of a hazelnut hint to it. OH SO GOOD. All the desserts are amazing but that one is now my favorite.
What to wear? I would say Colorado business casual. When we go on a regular Sunday half the folks are dressed in Sunday Church clothes and then half in jeans/​shorts and polo shirts. Nothing ever too fancy. Bring the kids (and their manners) and have a good time.