The Brochstein Pavilion

Foods a tad overpriced. Coffee is horrendous, they seem to have a horrible way of filtering the coffee grounds. Sometimes they serve moldy bread, but they will exchange it but keep trying to say it’s not mold.

I’m not a Rice student, but my husband and I decided to go study here for the day. We parked at the $ 1 parking lot near Greenbriar Dr/​University Blvd, so we had to walk a bit to get here, but we did not mind the walk at all since the weather was nice and the campus is beautiful.
It seems like a lot of students and faculty come by throughout the day. It can get loud at times if some chatty students sit nearby your table. However, It is a pretty good study environment with natural lighting, a lot of seating options, and plenty of outlets on the floor.
We ate lunch here and my husband’s sandwich (chicken pesto) was good, but mine was a bit disappointing. I got the lunch special with half sandwich and half side. I got the Nutty Owl sandwich (turkey, brie, cranberry-​walnut) and it was alright. I ordered kale salad for the side and kale was extremely bitter and my sandwich bread was soaked in the salad dressing…
I would come here again to study since I enjoyed the atmosphere, but I wouldn’t eat lunch here next time.

Brochstein Pavilion has always been one of my favorite spots to study or meet up with a friend. With glass windows all around that allow for plenty of natural light, the modernistic flair of the building gives it a great atmosphere. Feel like you want to sit outside and enjoy the afternoon sun instead? There’s plenty of tables outside as well that allow you to soak up the sun as you’re sipping on a cup of coffee and chatting with your best friend.
Although the atmosphere and aesthetic appeal of Brochstein is great, the café inside is nothing more than mediocre. I’ve never been a huge fan of the coffee served there (I’d highly suggest going over to Coffeehouse instead), and the food has always seemed to be overpriced in my opinion. Although the food and drinks here are sufficient in satisfying your appetite, don’t expect to be blown away.
Overall though, it’s a great place to hang out, study, relax, and grab a quick bite to eat. With the atmosphere and natural light it has to offer, Brochstein has quickly become one of my favorite buildings on Rice’s campus.

Can I get a holla for overpriced food but great study atmosphere? Brochstein Pavilion isn’t something you want to miss when visiting Rice University, and as a student it is one of my favorite spots to go on campus to get work done. Natural lighting in all its abundance shines through the glass walls, and it is right next to Fondren library.
In terms of food, Brochstein really doesn’t go above and beyond. You need something to fill your stomach for lunch, go ahead and get a sandwich; otherwise it might be better for you to just pay for food at a nearby all-​you-​can-​eat servery. It gets very busy during lunchtime when all sorts of students and faculty get together to chat, so if you’re looking for a quieter time then come either earlier or after mealtime rolls around.
Brochstein is definitely better with its beverages than its drinks, and I spoil myself with an amaretto freeze every now and then. Only complaint is that the building’s A/​C is on the cold side, so it might behoove you to bring a jacket.
Come here for the conversation and the knowledge you’ll glean when studying, and not the food. Such is the pleasure of Brochstein!

Glorified as rice university’s own human fish bowl, brochstein contains ceiling to floor windows that revolve around the entire pavilion so that one can observe all the people happily chatting away inside of it… from the outside. Despite the lack of privacy, brochstein is the definition of natural lighting and open floor plan. One side features traditional tables with chairs and the other has various other more cushioned seating surrounding a small stool-​like table.
Food here is quite overpriced, but as a student, tetra is the way to go because, although I personally haven’t tried their sandwiches, I hear they’re divine. I’ve sampled lemonade here though and it was very much on the too sour side, going for $ 4 a pop.
An excellent place to study while simultaneously feeling trendy and not cooped up like you would in the library… The only downside that sways me toward fondren is the lack of outlets for my draining laptop. Otherwise, I’d be here every day!

I go here mainly because I get free food with my tetra (Rice money). Big fan of the nutty owl sandwich (I still don’t understand where the nutty part of the name comes from though). I also recently held a reception here and the staff were amazing and the food was equally good. In terms of atmosphere, I think the fish bowl feel can be pretty polarizing. Sometimes I like all the sunlight coming in, other times I feel like I’m on display. Nice place for studying.

This is a favorite place of mine to plop down and finish work. It gets pretty busy around meal times and during the evening, so plan accordingly. However, I always stop by to do assignments that don’t involve heavy reading because the atmosphere is so inviting. Glass walls all around provide amazing views of campus. It is usually full of professors and students, and it is a favorite location for meetings.
During weekends, you can find an eclectic mix of students, community members, tour groups, staff, and dogs roaming the pavilion. You don’t necessarily have to order anything to occupy a table, but I usually do anyways.
Sitting outside is nice when the weather isn’t too extreme or in the early morning/​late evening. Make sure to bring a jacket if you choose to sit inside — even during the summer — because you may freeze.

The venue itself is nice, but I’ve had some very negative experiences with the quality of the food and service. The parfait I bought for $ 5.40 was literally all semi transparent white liquid, which was very… gross. Another time, I got there before 3pm to buy a soup+sandwich combo that goes til 3pm only for the cashier to tell me that the cash register’s time was 3:02pm (it was easily 5 minutes before 3pm).

Happy hour drinks are pretty good but a little pricey. Peachy bellini is a popular favorite because it’s sweet and light. I’ve ordered an empanada platter which comes with two empanadas and a salad. The chicken one is the best one in my opinion.
Lunch special sandwiches come with chips and an iced drink. Portions are good but still a bit pricey. Definitely try the Nutty Owl if you haven’t though!
Overall, this place is a little pricey for what you get but it’s a really nice place with beautiful views. Good go-​to place to get a drink and catch up with a friend.

I can’t say anything here about the food but it seems a little overpriced.
However, I’m basing most of this review on the pavilion itself. It’s a fantastic place to study or even meet up with people! I love how all the walls are glass; it’s a great way to feel like you’re enjoying nature even when you have a ton of homework.

I guess the location is pretty convenient and the building itself is beautiful, but honestly it’s pretty pricey. The food isn’t that great. Basic café fare. Also, I think it’s just a reboot of Salento in Rice Village.

Brochstein Pavilion is one of my most favorite places on Rice campus to have a casual meeting with a colleague or student. While the line can be long and prices can be steep, service moves rather quickly. I’m happy that the café is run by Salento, which ensures me that I’ll get the best chai latte in town within the comforts of my workplace. I also like getting the Nutty Owl sandwich (a panini filled Brie, spinach, turkey, and a cranberry-​walnut mayo) for lunch. Don’t forget that they serve wine and have a decent happy hour deal!

Pros: Beautiful place to work or meet up with people. There’s a water fountain nearby and it’s in the middle of Rice’s beautiful campus. There’s a good ambiance inside for working or hanging out. The pastries and food are delicious and have good portion sizes.
Cons: There are no outlets if you’re sitting outside. The temperature inside can be arctic cold in the summers. The coffee/​food is over priced. The iced coffee is extremely watery and they charge extra for soy milk.
Overall it’s a good place to go if you’re already on campus and looking for a nice place to work. Wouldn’t make a special trip to campus just for this place though.

This is a nice scenic place to grab lunch, but unless you are already on Rice’s campus I can’t imagine you coming here. The lunch special/​sandwiches are pretty good, but better deals can be found elsewhere on campus. Expect to drop $ 8 – 10 for a decent but not amazing lunch. However it is a neat place to sit and people watch or meet other people who are already on campus.

Totes big fan of the Pavilion. It’s a very new facility with well well designed architecture. Sitting outside during a nice cozy day is perfect for anyone who loves the outdoors, or you can sit inside on the couches and order a drink. It’s awesome because the walls of the pavilion are made of glass, so you can still enjoy the beautiful weather (or hide from the houstonian humidity/​rain) indoors.
There are chairs on the inside as well, where you can have a meal or a meeting with a few people. The only downside is that the price for food/​drink is a little higher here than other places. Not a huge deal breaker tho.
Absolutely beautiful. Go owls~~ hoothoot (sounds a lot lamer when i put it like this…)

This is one of my favorite places to be on campus. It is a gorgeous building that let’s in a lot of sunlight, contrasting with the old Rice buildings that have windows the size of my small laptop. There’s always plenty of seating, both inside and outside. However, there’s a distinct lack of outlets, so you’ll probably have to hover or fight someone for a spot next to the few outlets (there are none outside).
So what do you do at Brochstein? Well, pretty much everything. I come here to study, especially when I want to be outside, enjoy the weather, and feel a little less like a prisoner to my books and studies. This is also a great place to have small group or 1-​on-​1 meetings. It’s also an excellent place to just relax or catchup with friends. The one downside to Brochstein is that it is definitely pricey. You can order all types of delicious paninis and salads (Nutty Owl is my favorite), but when you can eat in the RMC for $ 3 less or in the servery for free, then a $ 8-​$ 9 sandwich is just not cutting it. They also have a variety of beverages; I personally love their soy chai latte. Their drinks tend to be stronger and richer than coffeehouse, but they also cost more. Also, brochstein has happy hour! I have yet to actually order any alcoholic beverages from here, but $ 16 for a pitcher of Bellini? Sign me up!

Great ambiance and a good place to study or get work done. However, there’s absolutely no healthy food or drink choice (apart from unsweetened iced tea). Everything is loaded with fat, sugar and salt. It’s also always 40 °F so bring a winter coat if you’d like to sit inside for a longer period of time.
One more problem that they can work on: Music. Extremely poor selection because it doesn’t match the ambience at all. I like different types of music, I’m international myself. But they have no variety, only spanish songs… which I don’t mind if they greet me with a bowl of tortilla chips and salsa (obviously they don’t).

This is one of the few cafes where the atmosphere and the architecture are disproportionately better than the food and the drinks.
Located in the center of Rice University, the glass building that is known as Brochstein Pavilion is perfect to study, hang out, or simply relax at the terrific atmosphere, inside and outside of the building! Unfortunately, the food served by Salento is overpriced especially considering the food’s mediocre quality and small portion. Unless you are meeting someone at the Pavilion, there is simply no reason to buy the more expensive coffee at Salento when you can get equal or better quality coffee at lower price from the nearby Coffeehouse or Starbucks.
If it weren’t for the building itself, I would have given this place an one star. Brochstein Pavilion is a place to meet but never a place to eat.
tl;dr version:
–SUPERB atmosphere for studying and relaxing!
–Overpriced and mediocre food
–Great place to meet, horrible place to eat

While many Rice University purists may cringe at the out of place architecture of the Pavilion, it’s modern design gives patrons tons of natural lighting when cramming for exams or simply grabbing a cup of coffee with friends. You can get great views of the campus and/​or people watch if that’s your thing.
As for the food and drink: slightly over priced but that’s to be expected. There is plenty of seating both inside and around the perimeter of the building. You won’t find any outlets for plug in a laptop outside so be sure to charge up or else you’ll find yourself hunting for an outlet (spaced throughout on the floor inside).
The bathroom doesn’t have any paper towels (in favor of being more environmentally friendly — cringe), luckily the door is push/​pull so you won’t have to worry about grabbing a dirty handle if the person before you didn’t practice great hygiene.
Free wifi — use Rice Guest

I enjoy the Pavilion as an outdoors study spot on nice days in Houston, so I make it out here what, 5 days a year? Hah, I kid. The place is gorgeous, with clear glass walls surrounded by the grassy campus and beautiful trees — it’s the perfect spot for an outdoor study session, conversation, or reading spot.
The coffee shop inside, Salento, serves up over-​priced fare that tastes pretty good. The one good deal is their lunch special (12−3pm everyday): for $ 6.99 you get a half sandwich, choice of side (hummus, chips, or house salad), and a drink (iced tea or sometimes coffee). The sandwich combos are delicious (I like the three cheese best), the green iced tea is super delicious, and the hummus side portion is HUGE (like seriously, a whole bowl of hummus… and only 3 rock hard pita fragments. who eats straight hummus without pita chips? apparently people at Salento). Staff is polite and helpful, bathrooms are clean, and there are water fountains inside too.
There’s lots of 4-​person and 2-​person tables inside with chairs (mostly on the coffee shop side) and couches/​lounge chairs on the other side. The surrounding patio has lots of 4 person tables and is very dog friendly. Ambiance is chill, with mostly students and young professionals studying or meeting up and background music going continuously. It can sometimes get cold inside so bring a jacket or take walks around the patio. Outlets are in the ground and sometimes work, sometimes don’t. Hours are posted on the doors; I don’t remember off the top of my head but they do close pretty early (7pm). Park either in a Rice visitor’s lot or across Main Street at the park or zoo then walk over.
If you get sick of the Pavilion, there’s lots of other spots on campus that are great for studying, too. Just across the pavilion are Fondren Library (also with an outdoor area around a fountain, very peaceful: D) and the Rice Memorial & Student Center (with an outdoor courtyard with lots of wooden tables & a student-​run coffee shop inside), both good options.