Shades Of Brown Cafe

Mixed feelings about this place. However, in case you’re wondering they do get extremely busy on Fri/​Sat when they serve steak. So this is a successful restaurant and if it’s for you, you will love it!
You enter into a dining hall with small tables. Then, there is a hallway that takes you through a maze of many separate dining areas. There are small/​medium/​large dining rooms. There is free wifi, so students must come here often to eat and study. Anyways, you come in and place your order, you pay right away and get your drink at the counter and then you find yourself a table. Then someone (not a waiter) brings you food and after that, no one comes to check up on you. So please do not come here and choose a table and expect someone to come take your order, it’s not how it works at this restaurant.
The one thing I can’t get over is the young lady who took my order. She did not smile and seemed like she was in a hurry and just wanted to take my order and go back to what she was doing prior to us coming in. I placed my order and then she threw the receipt I had to sign, followed by throwing the pen, and then while I’m signing, she tells me «this is your copy» and then throws that too. Well, all of it does land on a counter but instead of tossing everything at me, couldn’t she just gently place it on the counter? There was no southern hospitality here. Either she was having a bad day, or she hates brown people.
Anyways, I got the vegetarian piatto which is Naan with cheese and some veggies on it. It was pretty good, but I didn’t think it was worth $ 7. If you go with a meat option, it’s $ 8. In comparison, for $ 8 at Pineapple Tea Room in the gap, you’ll get a sandwich + fries + a small side and someone who doesn’t throw pens at you. My roommate liked his food too, he got a chicken bacon ranch sandwich and he had no complaints.
The food was good, I can see myself coming back here with friends. But dollar for dollar, I find more value at Pineapple Tea Room. Just keep in mind they are known for their steaks/​ribs or whatever they serve on Friday and Saturday nights. And if you’re coming for that, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed because I’ve heard great things!

This steakhouse was fantastic. A little eclectic, but super great food. Seating is limited, but the food is so worth it. The 10 sirloin is fabulous. The smothered chicken was also quite good. The salads have multiple dressing options and the services was great.

The steakhouse portion is only open T-​F-​S and it gets crowded so reservations are advised.
Love the warm bread with honey butter!
Interesting floor plan with 6 or 7 small dining rooms… keeps the noise level low and makes for an intimate environment. The steaks are good, well seasoned and quality beef. Side dish portions are large and they are fresh. Good meal for good price.

Great food, classy place & good service! I highly recommend it! We will be eating there often

I keep reading reviews where people that are both local and obviously transplants (thanks to the med school…) are knocking the quality or integrity of this restaurant.
Regarding a previous snarky comment: If you haven’t been to Middlesboro, Kentucky, consider the most anti-​Chicago «city» you can possibly imagine. Maybe go a little beyond your imagination. It is a tiny place with few dining options to offer beyond your typical drive-​thru. Standards may be low here but many of us venture out into this vast world and experience other places and cultures. I have lived in large cities and traveled to cities that contain nearly the entire population of Middlesboro on one city block. Shades has, literally, the best steak (filet style) I’ve ever had from a restaurant. The 8 oz filet style sirloin is very thick and cooked perfectly every time. That’s a big deal because I like my steak medium rare. (Save your judgment. I’m used to it… I’m used to that look you just made, too…)
I have never been disappointed with the quality of my meal and I visit often. Their loaves of bread that are served after you’re seated taste very fresh. (I love carbs…) The staff have always been exceptional. They’re friendly and inviting. They even know what they’re talking about!
The menu is small. It keeps things simple. The steakhouse is only open three evenings a week. It’s a small place.
If you want a Chi town meal… Go to Chi town.

Dinner Oct 23
Is it Shades of Brown/​Shades Café? What it «IS» is an interesting concept born of American spirit and ingenuity. Let me explain…
The owners wanted to bring a major Pacific Northwest Coffee franchise to little olé’ Middlesboro, KY, but were told by the Corporate Franchise folks that Middlesboro was too «rural» and not affluent enough economically. So, these local perspective business owners decided to open a hybrid type shop — a coffee house that served sandwiches and specialty salads. Kind a Starbucks meets Panera concept. This fulfilled a community need for a nice (non-​chain) shop serving this light fare menu & coffees for lunch and dinner.
Then they realized another need, a nice dinner spot for Steaks. So these local entrepreneurs started small by serving fresh cuts steaks and pork chops. The first few weeks they sold 20 steaks a weekend, now they are serving over 120 a weekend and yes, you most likely need a reservation if you want to eat at 6 or 7. They have a very limited menu, no appetizers and they only serve this expanded menu on Thrs, Fri & Sat after 5pm.
We had the Pork Chops. They are fresh, thick, juicy and are seasoned well. Is it the best chop ever? no. But it certainly way better than you would get at any chain and as good as any $ 30 chop I have had at many «fine dining» steak houses! The salad was very fresh and they make their own Ranch Dressing — yummy. Oh yeah, they serve a very nice loaf of bread that comes with soft-​honey butter and it was very good!
This was an unexpected delight & extremely satisfying meal and I can tell you that on my next trip up that way, i will go back be it for lunch or dinner! I would say if you are even in Tazewell or Pineville, it would be worth the drive.

So read some reviews here and since it was a place friends have recommended, we ordered and sat down.
Nothing to really complain about and is a cut above the rest of Middleborough BUT for a coffee shop where was the coffee machine, the rich scent of coffee being brewed. OH and the fresh backed pastries, cakes and confectionary?
I did see the manager sporting a bright florescent golf sort emblazoned with US Foods. Yes the chain restaurant distributor like Sysco, et al.
So we now know the «Farm to Table» produce is lacking, and there were plenty of cakes but none featured as «Home» baked by a featured local cake lady.
I’d have to say they are not even close to what they could be.
I just reread my review and removed a star, sorry!
A coffee shop/​café; to paraphrase a James Earl Jones line; were are the coffee beans?
Bring on Starbucks or Panera Bread please.
Thanks for reading.

This place is disgusting. I don’t say that in terms of the food. Because the food can be decent. Still, it’s never anything special. I fixed some plumbing issues that Shades was having a while back, and in doing this I noticed that their sewage was being backed up in to fresh water supply. There for, giving the customers essentially sewer water for Untelling how long. When I tell them the problem, the only concern was price. Nasty!

Best sandwich in town. Yeah, that is not saying a lot in Midllesboro, but their sandwiches are good anywhere. Nice atmosphere, and good pricing. A winner in my book!

Best place in town. Fall sandwich special great. Turkey, Swiss cheese on cranberry walnut bread with apricot preserves and a nice bowl of potato soup. 5 stars for Middlesboro

Overly well-​reviewed because of how crummy everything else here is (and because no one outside of here will ever review it) It IS GOOD in comparison to the tripe available in a nothing town. These are not standards.

In a sea of fast food, here lies but one place of respite… Shades of Brown. Had I not bothered to wait until the afternoon to get coffee (because who wants a coffee in the morning, anyways?) I would have never had the culinary delight dance upon my apathetic taste buds. Mmmmm, American cheese be damned, frozen fresh tastes oh so good. Panini breads flattened as never flattened before.
Post-​digestion, Shades of Brown continually delight.

Had a GREAT meal at 9 pm after a long drive. Service was great, the meal was incredible – huge side salad with freshly made ranch dressing, a baked potato and salmon grilled with a mesquite rub. The salmon was sweet and tender, cooked to perfection. The staff were kind and welcoming, the atmosphere is cozy and comfortable. There are a few couches to relax and enjoy coffee and conversation, a local A Capella group stopped in and sang some Christmas carols. It was a wonderful experience. O will be stopping back for morning coffee before I leave town. I will certainly stop in any time I’m in town.

Just in town for a few days the guy at the front desk at the Holiday Inn Exp recommended Shades. We saw a café and thought this couldn’t the Steak House when we walked in there were just a couple of people and it looked like a quaint little coffee shop. The place was surrounded by cars this couldn’t be what we are looking for. The guy behind the counter asked if we were there for supper and we answered yes. He said just wait a few minutes and someone will be out. Shortly a guy came from the back and escorted us to a table. What a pleasant surprise the steak was great and so was desert. What an unusual place. We will go back. It was excellent all the way around.

Went in on a Saturday evening for the steakhouse. To sum it up with less detail: great food great service and great atmosphere. More detail: Was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the steak for a café. Several steak choices as well as seafood and chicken. Meal was served with a house salad one side and a mini loaf of bread (super delicious). The prices were very reasonable especially for the amount of food that is served. All of my food (sirloin tips with vegetables and add on 6 shrimp with garlic mashed potatoes) was done perfectly and tasted great! Service was friendly and fast. Can’t wait to go back!

Shades of Brown is simply a breathe of fresh air in an area that is over run with fast food chains and buffets. I love going here for the specialty coffees and for the casual food menu. It’s a great place to read a book or meet friends.

A Wonderful atmosphere, very friendly people and good service. A place that is easy on the eyes but even easier on the soul. If your looking for some great variety of drinks and relaxation then this is your place.

Shades of Brown offers a great selection of fresh salads and sandwiches in addition to various specialty coffee drinks, which is definitely a nice change from many of the fastfood chain restaurants that are nearby! While I was only in the area for a few days, I found this place to be a perfect place for some reading while enjoying a quick and easy meal. There is a ton of open tables and space for customers to chat with friends or do some work over a meal. Wifi is available to customers and there’s even a larger conference room and quiet study room in the back for people to work in!
In terms of the menu, I was pretty impressed with the selection of coffee drinks available. As a fan of iced coffee blend drinks, I was happy to find out that Shades of Brown offers a variety of options — a nice find that isn’t your usual Starbucks beverage. I got a caramel-​mocha ice blend, which wasn’t bad, but definitely too sweet for me. The menu offers salads and sandwiches that come in reasonable portions — I was definitely quite full after dinner! The salad was huge and the sandwich was pretty good! The panini I ordered came with mushrooms, avocado, and roasted red peppers — all for no additional charge! Definitely delicious.
For people looking for a healthier option in the area that welcomes locals with a nice casual atmosphere, this place is a perfect place to check out.