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The Huntington is definitely the place you want to come to when you're ready to take a very quiet day for yourself. The gardens are gorgeous and the library exhibits of first editions are just too awesome, especially for a book nerd like me.
My best friend and I spent our time here to have our monthly catch up and have an early celebration of our birthdays. I had never been here before and I was quite surprised at the buffet style tea!
For about $54 for two people, she and I had an assortment of tea sandwiches and pastries, a cup of hot tea and some glasses of iced tea and pink lemonade.
To be honest, the quality of the tea room offering aren't quite up par with some other high end tea room. However, because its all you can eat and drink, there's absolute no way you will leave hungry. Furthermore, there's no prissy service or prissy people here, which can be a little draining if you're trying to have a catch up with your best friend and you have to keep your voice down. It's casual and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
The bread for the tea sandwiches can be a little dry, but the fillings are still quite delicious. They had a curry chicken, albacore, cream cheese with watercress, an egg salad and a salmon canape. The salmon, watercress and albacore sandwiches are my favorites. Very balance flavors but you can definitely tell what you're eating.
They also have an assortment of cheese, but I really do wish they would label what kind of cheese they are. All of them are delicious though.
I was surprised they had caviar. I personally think that caviar was this huge expensive luxury and it kinda threw me that they would have it at such a casual tea room. It wasn't the best thing ever because it was a little too salty, but it wasn't terrible and helped bring out the flavor a bit more of the salmon canape when scooped on top.
As for the pastries, the bars and the petite fours weren't my favorites. However, I absolutely loved their scones, which came to the table as soon as we sat. They give you a basket of them so if you don't finish, you can take some home with you in a little baggie (which I am happy about because I'm eating them right now). When they come to you, they're warm enough so that the butter you spread onto them just melt deliciously. I am definitely a big fan of these scones.
The teas themselves weren't overpowering but a nice gentle black tea flavor with some apricot perfect with milk and sugar. Pink lemonade wasn't too sweet or too sour, so it was definitely a nice change if you're looking for something more cooling and refreshing.
I personally recommend you get a reservation here because it does get packed. Also, get a table in the back room if you want just a little more peace and quiet. I find the front to be a little distracting because of all the people walking in and out.
There is a cafe next door if you want a little cheaper fooding enjoyment amidst the gardens, but I think it's definitely worth spending the $25 per person to quietly sit down inside the tea room and enjoy yourself.
My gf's and I decided to have a little surprise b-day lunch at the Tea Room last weekend. If your expecting a traditional tea room this is not the place for you. Everything but the tea and coffee was buffet style. Don't get me wrong, the sandwiches and desserts were good. But, the service needed work. It took 20mins for the waitress to come back with our bill. However, unlike a traditional tea house I didn't leave hungry!
If you are expecting a sophisticated assortment of food with ladies wearing hats ... its not going to happen here.
People thought this was:
Over the summer, my boss type decided to treat my colleague, her 4-year-old daughter and I for high tea at the Huntington Library. I've never been to the grounds before and I was impressed with how beautiful the gardens were. The tea room is a bit of a walk from the entrance and is housed in an English-style cottage with interior decor to match it.
It was a hot summer day, so I passed on the traditional hot pot of tea and went with an iced variation. What I like about this tea service is it's buffet style, so while the sandwiches are your traditional 2-bite style, it's all you can eat! Other options on the buffet were light salads, spreads such us hummus, crackers and cheese, fresh fruit and bite-sized desserts. The only pitfall if you're just looking for high tea is you have to pay the entrance fee to the library before you can step foot into the tea room. Your best bet is to plan in advance: make reservations in advance, but plan to arrive in the early morning to stroll the gardens, enjoy your afternoon tea, and then walk it off some more.
People thought this was:
Best collection of gardens, rare books and English art this side of the Mississippi. Period. Desert and Japanese gardens will blow your mind every time. Children's garden wonderful as well. Ah, hell, it's all good. GO!
WOW what an experience, not a nice one at that!!! The price for what we had was not worth it. When my party of three arrived we where seated by the host who insisted on calling us by our first names, make it a little more formal the next time. Arrived at the table to be greeted by cream and butter which had been sitting out for 15 mins or so the butter had a lovely deep yellow color to it which indicates that it has been there a lot longer, this was sent back and so was the milk. Scones where duly delivered, you needed a microscope just to find them as they where so small, very crumbly and had a metallic taste to them, cut back the baking powder the next time. The buffet display or not was very dry, hummus had a dry skin over it, tapenarde was very watery for some strange reason, too much cream cheese going on in the sandwiches, pecan pie was tasteless and had wet dense pastry, fruit tarts where very dry looking, the only highlight of this very disappointing event was the tea, that I actually enjoyed. Service was terrible and you expect us to pay for 3 people $83.00 so not worth and the tip well lets say forget that........... Lack of service, tasteless food with their dried out skins on, no love or attention to detail in this place!!!
What happened to the traditional Huntington Rose Garden Tea Room? Used to eat here in years past every couple of months with the "girls" - classic "tea" sandwiches, desserts, etc. presented and served on elegant china. It was a buffet then too - food offerings refreshed frequently in lovely presentations. It's now well, a much less classy version of its former self.
Just made a visit and was very disappointed. The presentation of the food looks like a cafeteria or chain buffet feeding counter, not very appetizing. The food is stacked in bins, inexpensive tongs to pick it up, no more individual elegant plates to serve each treat. The price has gone up quite a bit, while the selection of foods seems to have increased - more fruits and salads - not traditional or up to par or what one would expect for "tea".
The sandwiches were still tea like in presentation and content - but some of them soggy and tasteless, maybe from being stacked in the buffet. Selection of fruit and salads was decent, but rather unappetizing to look at in their serving containers. The desserts for the most part were still pretty good taste wise, a saving grace?
Overall - hate to say but a real let down... this is no longer a "tea room" in the true sense of the word, it's more of a family buffet - and if that's what you are looking for - there are a few redeeming treats in the meal. The gardens are beautiful too, but will go elsewhere for a genuine "tea" experience.
People thought this was:
A small room that was once part of an old office and bowling alley when Huntington was alive. I am thankful to my friend for setting up an early morning reservation plus tour for the tea room. After our personal tour, we were guided to the tea room and soon were scarfing down cucumber sandwiches, fruits and scones.
I had the Rose flavored tea and it was delightful. I tried a few of the sandwiches, including a fig and prosciutto one that was quite yummy. Buffet style and lots of little things to nibble on including salads, tartlets, and cheese.
We had reservations and were treated like royalty. Loved every bit of it!
People thought this was:
For 25 bones per person, this tea room is only "a'ight".
The tea selection is limited, although the tea itself along with the initial scones that accompany it have never disappointed! Other than this, the self-serve buffet is quite pedestrian.
Good place for the convenience of walking the grounds just before and after...or to bring folks who are impressed by this sort of thing {you know who you are ;D}...
People thought this was:
Ugh. I really wanted to like this place. Mom was in from out of town and the gardens are lovely.
From the moment you walk into this place after spending the day on the wonderful grounds, its immediately wrong. I was expecting sophisticated, old ladies sipping their tea after meandering through the rose gardens (well okay, not exactly as I'd read the reviews on here, but something fitting with the grounds).
Nope. its like a cafateria. Its buffet style. Which would be fine if it was any good. Nope. The sandwhiches are almost unedible (had to try four or five before I found one I could eat) and incredibley soggy. The salads are mediocre at best. And to make matters worse they only offer three kinds of tea- none very good.
And don't get me started on the noise level. Kids running around everywhere, tourists everywhere...not the relaxing tea I'd hoped for after being quite tired and hot from meandering around the grounds.
Finally, our waitress was...ah...challenging. Now granted (as she made sure we knew) she was tired from the challenging day she'd had (and who wouldn't be in that environment), but don't tell me, just apologize when you bring the wrong tea and fetch the right one. No biggie, don't need to hear your saga about how difficult your job is and how crowded the place has been since your shift started.
Now, I suppose being some what of a tea snob (love a really nice tea service and have had some great ones in NYC, London, etc.) I understand that I had high expectations and this isn't one of those types of places.
But even for a tea for the masses, cafateria, buffet-style place, its still gotta be somewhat edible, right? And for THAT price? Holy crap! Came out to EIGHT DOLLARS for three....that's just so wrong.
Meh, don't think I'll go back.
People thought this was:
I absolutely LOVE english tea. So I was very excited about the Huntington Library Rose Garden Tea Room. They serve an english tea buffet and it was quite delish.
We arrived and was given their summer blend of strawberry kiwi black tea and a basket of yummy scones. The buffet has an assortment of small sandwiches, salads, desserts, fruit, and cheese. It even had caviar (though I'm a fan).
I think I had a total of like 6 (small) plates (hey! don't judge!). Their merlot went well with a garlic herb cheese they had as well. As far as english tea goes... it was delightful.
Fave from the buffet: cucumber sandwiches and fruit cups.
Over cons: Service was a bit slow and sorry to say but the bathrooms were such a turn off. I'll spare details since this is such a nice review, but you would think that with the pricetag they would be... cleaner. Perhaps, I'm being too picky?
Stopping by the tea room is a lot of fun when you're spending the day at the Huntington.
NOTE: Definitely get reservations if you want to eat there on the weekends. Space fills up FAST.
Now, it's a tea room - but it's not a super classy tea room, if you get my drift. I mean, it's a tea BUFFET so don't expect fancy schmancy.
What should you expect? A tea room that gets the essentials right. The sandwiches are yummy and there is a lot of variety in cheeses and fruits. Not to mention they serve caviar. As for the tea? We got the rose tea and it was so good I bought a package of it for home.
But my favorite part - the SCONES. So so so so good. My favorite was a wheat one (yes, wheat... quite unexpected).
While I really like it here - I probably won't do this again (well, not for awhile) since I'm not a member of the Huntington and I'm in the area so rarely. But it's definitely worth checking out once for the experience.
Get reservations, come here for a nice break cause you work up an appetite if you're walking around the Huntington all day.
People thought this was:
I've been here several times, and I must say my favorites are the warm & yummy scones and the fig & prosciutto sandwich.
Some notes:
1) You must make reservation in advance; if you walk in, the hostess/host is sometimes a bit snooty
2) Try to get a reservation early in the morning when the scones are fresh made and warm. Otherwise, the scones are just "pretty good", but not fantastic.
3) They have some buffet (cheeses, crackers, sandwiches, fruit, desserts). The sandwiches are really fun - they have all these different flavors (i.e. curry, fig & prosciutto, etc.)
If you take the notes above, it'll be an awesome experience!
This is the only place that I can take my husband for tea because there is ENOUGH food, due to the buffet. The food is good, the tea is excellent and the Huntington's Children's Garden is the most inventive garden in the US. The rest of their gardens are lovely, too. Please make a reservation for tea, so that you and your friends/family don't have to wait for a table.
People thought this was:
OMG I love this place. Located inside the Huntington Rose Garden and for $25 you can have the best British style brunch buffet ever!
PLEASE keep in mind this isn't no Hometown (grubby stuff) Buffet, just pure classy yummy stuff so if sipping tea, engaging in good conversation and eating tiny tasty goods (cheese, tiny sandwiches, caviar, etc.) isn't your thing then please skip it.
Also, please keep in mind this place is very popular and reservations are required (though I've been able to slip in without them).
They have the BEST teas too.
It's Friday, I'm in love.
People thought this was:
I LOVED this place, then I LIKED it, now, I just like it a bit. I don't think that it is worth the drive and the price of admission to get to it. I used to keep a business card with the prices on it, so when I made reservations, it would jog my memory. In '04 it was 16.95. In '06 it was $20.95. In '07, it was $22.95 and we just went, it was a horrendous $26.95 or something like that- $31.00 w/ tax/tip. We went in a large group so they added it all in. We paid $31.00 each. Kids were 1/2 of that. They lost money on my kid though, she ate the caviar and salmon.
It used to be my favorite tea place, you can walk around after, and then just enjoy the day. The main entrance used to let you apply your fee to an annual pass if you joined that day. They don't do that anymore. We spent over $100.00 that day to get in and have tea. Daughter is 6.
Nuf said.
People thought this was:
Ugh! I'm honestly shocked that Yelpers have given this place such rave reviews. It's outdated and over rated. The setting within the gardens could be lovely, but on our visit the view was hidden behind dirty windows and cobwebs. The bathrooms are old and smelly - in fact the whole tea room smelled like it had been recently mopped/wiped down with a smelly rag. The food was ok (scones were good) - but the salmon tea sandwiches tasted too too fishy and the desserts were just ok.
I agree with other reviewers who have compared the tea house to a cafeteria - that's exactly how it felt.
Not only do I love the buffet factor, but the food there is great! They have a variety of salads, tea sandwiches, cheeses (my favorite), desserts, spreads, and not to mention caviar!! I don't know if 25 is really worth the price, especially since they didn't have clotted cream, but I guess that's expected with English high tea. I enjoyed my time there, I just wish they had bigger plates so I didn't have to keep going back. I definitely recommend making a reservation beforehand especially on a weekend, since that's when it is the busiest.
Cheers!
People thought this was:
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it here. The finger sandwiches were all really really good. Scones have that homey warm feeling to it and the tea is aromatic. They also have caviar....although the cheap kind, but hell, if you never had it before, you can try it here and you will know whether you love it or hate it. I hate it.
The reason for the 4 stars is the dessert portion wasn't the best. I want some damn girly finger cakes and other decadent desserts. I felt it was continental breakfast at best.
Okay, I'm a guy so probably not the best person to review a tea place, but i've been here a few times and it's always a nice relaxing afternoon. My wife and I have a membership, so we don't have to pay to get in. If you're going to buy tickets and then the buffet, it's probably wildly overpriced for what you get.
At $25 per person it's also not cheap with the membership, and like many others here i'm not really a fan of buffets but the food here is pretty good. I really like the salmon sandwich, the fig sandwich and the spicy egg salad sandwiches. I love the little scones that you put butter and really delicious jam on.
I don't drink tea so I was delighted to find they serve wine, I had a decent cab and enjoyed myself while my wife and her friend had their tea. My wife loves high tea and has tried many of the different tea houses around but she likes this one. You can walk around one of the truly beautiful gardens and art galleries in the world after your tea.
We had a really sweet waitress, very on top of things and attentive and we took our three month old daughter and they accomodated her without issue.
I couldn't say if you had to pay admission and then this, whether it would be worth it but if you live in the area and enjoy outdoor beauty and history you should get a membership anyways.
Oh, and make a reservation or forget about eating here.
I'm quite sure there are better example of tea houses than this, but it's a good solid experience even compared to the one we had in London on our last trip there.
Food - B
Ambience - A
Service - A
Value - B-
Came here for my birthday last year and I absolutely fell in love with tea houses. It was my first time going to a tea room so I was not sure what to expect.
I loved how you were able to choose what you wanted to eat. My favorite is the smoked salmon and cream cheese so you better believe I loaded up on that. Everything seemed fresh. I was able to try caviar for the first time with my girlfriends too so that was fun. We ordered iced tea this day because it was way over 90 degrees, and were able to switch to coffee and hot tea when we pleased. The service that day was pretty good even thought it was a bit busy.
Even though this place is a little price-y, it will always hold a special place in my tea house heart because after every tea house I go to, I still dream of coming back here and eating all the Salmon and Cream Cheese sandwiches I can get!
It's nice to be able to walk off all that you've eaten when you're done in the gardens. Again, it was way too hot to do it the day I went, but we were still able to burn off some calories sweating though the place.
I would totally recommend this place to try and have a nice scenic walk when you're done eating. Reservations are recommended!
People thought this was:
I was really surprised by this place. I am English but afternoon tea isn't in my usual repertoire of things to do on a Saturday afternoon!! My girlfriend and I met some friends at the Huntington Gardens, they had booked lunch at the tea room, which, to be honest, I thought was a little random!
How wrong I was though, the food here is FANTASTIC! Not only that it's an all you can eat buffet so I gorged myself on sandwich after sandwich then cheese with crackers and finished the lot off with fruity little pastries afterwards. I left the tea room so full I thought I would need a forklift to get back to the car.
It's been a year or so since we went there, the Chinese garden has been completed apparently, what a great reason to go back and in no way does going back have anything to do with the great food here, oh no! :oD
The Huntington was my first brush with afternoon tea and at that time, I was absolutely fascinated with this place. All-you-can-eat sandwiches and tarts, delicious scones, unlimited drinks, and all in a nice dainty setting; what else could a girl ask for?
But since then, I've expanded my afternoon tea experiences to other tea houses throughout Southern California, and come to learn that even the all-you-can-eat stereotype that follows the concept of quantity is greater than quality applies even to the Rose Garden Tea Room.
More often than not, mass-produced food products end up lacking in taste and quality. The temperature of the buffet is too cold and leaves the bread of the sandwiches too stale to enjoy. And though there were a lot of sandwiches and desserts, I couldn't help but feel that the variety was limited.
The only things I thoroughly relished were the scones, which were presented in varieties of apple cinnamon, ginger apricot, raisin, and chocolate chip, and the wonderful holiday blend tea.
Price is set at $25 per person, and leaves you feeling a tad ripped off. Take advantage of free museum admission on the first Thursday of each month; tickets are available through reservations online.
People thought this was:
If you're into getting the full experience of the Huntington Library, then you'll want to enjoy lunch in the tea room. It is located next to the smaller restaurant that serves hamburgers and pre-made sandwiches and drinks and snacks. Reservations is a must, because the tea room is popular. The price is $24.95 per person and you get unlimited teas and a buffet of great finger sandwiches, expensive cheeses, salads, caviar and other sides & great deserts.. You can take as many trips to the buffet and you will probably make a few, since the plates are smaller sized. The food is excellent and well worth the price and it really is fun to have lunch here. Great place to bring friends and family while at the Huntington Library. Again, make reservations a week or two in advance of your trip. We did get lucky by making a reservation an hour in advance, but last time we tried it they were booked all day, so best to make your reservations ahead of time. If you think $24.95 is higher priced, know that hamburgers and drinks are expensive at the restaurant next to the tea house. You'd probably spend $12-14 per person for a complete lunch. For a few dollars more, you get a whole different experience that is well worth the money. If you're going to the Huntington, try the Rose Garden Tea Room.
People thought this was:
I agree with the Yelpers who say this place has seen better days. I had not been to the Huntington Garden Tea Room for a couple of years and decided to meet a friend there yesterday for a catch-up chat and afternoon tea. I was quite surprised at how "un-special" this place has become.
Yes, it is still located in the gorgeous Huntington Gardens, which compelled me to give the venue three stars rather than the two I would otherwise have given them for their less-than-inspiring sandwich selection, the unbelievable two-choice selection of teas (at a tea room, for goodness sake!), the less-than-interesting sweet options, the two boring salads on offer, the confusion and crowding at the buffet table, the less-than-stellar service... (The scones with Devonshire cream and jam were still pretty tasty, however.)
If you're interested in a place to enjoy a nice afternoon tea and do not require a garden stroll as part of the deal, I would recommend the Tudor House in Santa Monica, which offers a wonderful selection of teas, sandwiches, savory dishes and pastries.
A lovely tea room sitting in the middle of wonderful gardens. I love the back room, where it's far more quiet and relaxing. The chocolate chip scones are one of my favorites, and the Gold Rush tea (available around Christmas time) is wonderful. Little finger sandwiches, cheeses, and caviar (to which my husband "suffers" the tea party for) are all delicious.
As for children - They are very accommodating to our two small girls, who are very quiet and behaved inside the tea room. What a lovely place to take them for tea, then let them run around the children's gardens.
Misses the mark!!!! As in my other tea house reviews, I mentioned that a group of friends and I would travel around LA country trying out different tea houses and comparing and contrasting.
People kept telling us we HAD to try this place. NO! I have to say.. NO! Just say NO and save yourself $35 to $40 bucks. Unless you want to make a day of it and enjoy the Huntington... which the park is amazing... so, never mind... just pay the money to go to the park!!! Skip the tea.
Ok, I did like some of the food, and did like that you could go back and select more of what you like and leave what you do not (i liked the salmon sandwiches and the cheeses and fruits), but buffet at a tea?? It just defeats the idea of being pampered. And, the title makes it sound as if you are sitting in a rose garden eating tea. NOT! NOT! NOT! You are inside and the windows aren't even big enough. There are roses outside the windows but you can barely see them over the huge room full of people siting at rounds.
I know I might sound like a tea snob, but it's places that this that started to disappoint us so much that we began returning to the places we liked so we knew what we could count on... GOOD TEA!
I won't go back unless i'm forced to by someone "requiring me" to witness a big event in their life... But believe me, I'd try to tell them to take their event elsewhere.
So, instead, for the Pasadena area: Go to Tea Rose Garden, Chado, or Ritz Carlton for a much better experience. If you are willing to travel, go to The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel tea room - The Living Room. Far better food and service!
People thought this was:
A perfect place for a date! The environment was absolutely beautiful! I mean, it's not just a buffet, it's the whole Huntington. The place is HUGE and contains many outstanding views. The tropical forest, Japanese Garden, Library, Art House, paintings and much more! I was amazed.
As for the Tea Room itself, It's not a very big room. And it's "Tea Room" so don't expect much of a buffet like but more rather of a dessert/tea chill time. I guess you can rank as fancy? (okay I'm doubting)
There are outside seating, however, it's not the same thing. The outside seating is rather of a quick lunch and it's completely different from the buffet tea house. The foods are made by fast food style. Not too impressed, and the foods, I had better. I did got a cake, it's not the best in taste, perhaps, it's a bit too sweet.
As for the foods in the tea house, haven't tried but I'll find my chance. But there are lots of desserts. (by the look, it's not that impressive either)
The price is a little ridiculous, but yet reasonable since I guess due to the environment setting.
People thought this was:
I had mixed feelings about this place. I mean, the restaurant was set in a nice environment and the decorations inside was very cute, but I cannot say that the food was anything fabulous.
**BY THE WAY, RESERVATION IS A MUST! So if you're going to make a visit there, make a reservation ASAP!**
THE BAD:
- BUFFET STYLE-- which means lots of food that's been sitting in a place for an unknown amount of time. (Ideal breeding place for bacteria.)
- It can get very loud in the front especially with little kids and teeny boppers around because they probably do not understand the meaning of enjoying tea with a friend.
- Mass made food doesn't taste as good as those that were made on the spot.
- I didn't find the food appetizing after noticing a fly buzzing all over it for God knows how long.
THE GOOD:
- Decent food for $25. BUT add another $10 and you're better off going to Beverly Hills.
- Friendly but forgetful waitresses (forgot our water three times).
- Decent variety in fruits, cheese, desserts, and finger sandwiches.
- It made me up the score for The Living Room in Beverly Hills' Peninsula because it feels more authentic even though it is pricey. However, it provides a far better experience.
CONCLUSION:
I will still come back to the Huntington Library, but I will not do high tea there. HOWEVER, if you do take a friend who has never done/ experience a tea house, this is a good place to introduce them to it simply because it's affordable and it has the basics on what tea time is like. After that you can use a trump card, which is taking them to a far better tea house so that they will be impressed by your fancy taste! Bwuahahaha!
People thought this was:
I really don't like all-you-can-eat places. The quality of buffet goods usually pales in comparison to individually prepared meals that arrive fresh, hot/cold (whatever it's supposed to be) at your table. I also resent being forced to pay inflated pricing just because the establishment presumes you're going to be a pig due to the all-you-can-eat aspect. So usually as a result I overeat because I want to get my money's worth. *sigh. What a coil!
As for the Rose Garden Tea Room, it's not that $25 a person is overmuch (for if you think about it, it's fairly decent for all that you get here). It's just that I'd prefer higher quality, individually prepared food even if I'd actually have to pay higher for it. I hesitate to give 3 stars though because I liked the freshly brewed tea and the scones were delicious and fresh as well. The best part though is the ambiance. The grounds are beautiful to stroll through before and after tea - and you can see the rose garden from the lovely window seats.
Overall: Food - decent to good, Ambiance - excellent!
This is a cute tea room, set amongst bushes of roses in Huntington Library's Rose Garden. Resembles tea houses in England w/ its charm and quaint details. They feature a tea of the day w/ a buffet of salads, cheese, petite sandwiches, desserts and an array of fruit. Did I mention the endless scones w/ creme and jam? Tea's perfect pairing.
Make a reservation online or via phone and your table will be waiting for you after a day of walking the library's gardens.
People thought this was:
LOVE this place! (especially after the badBAD experience in 4Season.) GREAT food, all-you-can-eat so quantity AND quality! Friendly services all the time, beautiful rose surroundings. Just pleasant experience every time!
The Good:
- variety of sandwiches (cucumber/mint, prosciutto/fig, salmon/cucumber/dill, spicy egg, white albacore, curried chicken, & watercress)
- variety of cheeses (gouda, munester, pepperjack, swiss, bleu, cheddar, ok, the basics i guess)
- the scones (apple spice, chocolate chip) that you can take home with you in a nice little clear bag
The Bad:
- THE NOISE, oh my goodness, the patrons there were SO NOISY
- LACK OF BACKGROUND MUSIC (such elegant tea room, elegant surroundings, semi-elegantish food, would expect some sort of classical music in the background)
- SOGGY FRUIT TARTS (I've eaten ones that were already out, which would obviously BE soggy, but also fresh ones that were JUST replaced---SOGGY SOGGY SOGGY SOGGY. They need to not make their fruit tarts using overly juicy fruit, it was disgusting)
- desserts (BROWNIES? excuse me, BROWNIES? I'm not trying to be bourghie or anything. Oh, wait, I am trying to be bourghie if I'M GOING FOR AFTERNOON TEA. but BROWNIES? *rolls eyes*)
- lack of impressive savory sides (salad, broccoli salad, rice noodles. Did not pay 40 bucks just to come eat Asian food that I could've made better myself)
- lack of tea choices (we were given 3... rose black tea, black tea, decaf black tea. WTH. even if the rose black tea was good, but WTH.)
- ANNOYING LITTLE KIDS RUNNING AROUND
- semi-airheaded hostesses (they had my table ready, but forgot to call my name, forcing me to stand outside in the sun for 20 minutes before going inside to see WTH was going on)
Too many gripes to name. The NOISE was a total turn-OFF for me. I lost my appetite when I ate a soggy fruit tart. Chocolate mousse cup was a disaster.
I WOULD come back because their sandwiches were really good, but TOO BAD. I've written down the ingredients and would rather attempt to throw my own afternoon tea session than come back here again.
Ok, in a nutshell. I write too much and disorganized when I'm pissy.
- desserts: SUCKED - SOGGY, lack of impressive variety
- ambiance: SUCKED - NOISY
- sandwiches: GOOD - but easily replicated at home
- tea: SUCKED - lack of selection
- price: SUCKED - need to pay entrance fee of 20 bucks AND 25 more for this crappy buffet.
I think for paying around 50 bucks per person, I'd much rather go to a more Ritz-y place.
We come here once a month, is that bad?
I love having tea here. Yes, it is a bit pricey for tea and sandwiches. But I can't get enough. They have egg, salmon, ginger, and cucumber finger sandwiches. Then there's about 7 little salads, cheese spreads, hummus, caviar, crackers, pastries, dessert. It's about $25 a person, half price for children. You have the choice of 2 teas normally, black currant and the strawberry kiwi are my favorite. Scones are served at your table with sweetened butter, and 2 jams.
We have a membership which I highly recommend. It's tax deductible and is about $200 a year. You have to pay to get in the facility before you go to tea. The price is NOT included. Enterance runs about $25 a person. With the membership you get 2 free tickets for guests. Definitely worth it to me.
We weren't in the Tea Room, but at the cafe next door.
21 bucks will get you: grilled cheese sandwich, cheese quesadilla, jambalaya, curly fries, a pop and water. Pretty good deal.
There are only six tables inside, but there is plenty of room outside.
Lunch felt like a picnic. A true treat to sit and have lunch at the Huntington Garden.
Not much more to say, but enjoy your lunch.
People thought this was:
My parents came to town a couple weeks ago, and i made reservations for us here! We were seated promptly... and we were almost immediately greeted by our waitress and a basket of hot, yummy scones!
The tea was great! They kept it hot!
The buffet was super yummy. Spinach salad. yum. little sandwiches. yum. cheese. yum. fruit. yum. salmon. yum. lemon bars. yum.
Everything was SUPER yummy... we spent 2 hours there! Drinking tea, slowly snacking and just enjoying ourselves.
I totally recommend this to anyone who needs a place
NAME: Rose Garden Tea Room ( http://static.px.yelp.... )
TYPE OF CUISINE: High Tea
ADDRESS: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108
PHONE: 626-405-2100
GENERAL LOCATION: On the grounds of the Huntington Library, in the botanical gardens
HOURS:
Tuesday - Friday, noon to 4:30 p.m. (last seating at 3:30) Saturday - Sunday, 10:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (last seating at 3:30pm)
Tea Room Reservations (Required): (626) 683-8131 Reservations should be made at least 2 weeks in advance. Call Tuesday through Sunday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. (closed Mondays). Reservations cannot be accepted via e-mail.
WEBSITE: http://www.huntington....
AMBIANCE: Very elegant: a small room full of tables covered with linen, silverware, teacups and saucers, and in the middle of the room is a self-service buffet full of all the dainties you'd expect at a High Tea, including the de rigeur cucumber finger sandwiches! The room is air-conditioned perfectly, and THAT is very much appreciated on hot humid days! My son and I spent a wonderful afternoon in the tea room, talking away over hot tea and assorted goodies, after a long guided tour through the gardens, where I took photos of the fascinating flora.
FOOD: Various teas, scones, cheeses, fruits, chilled salads, and petite desserts.
VEGGIE FACTOR: Very possible.
PRESENTATION: The operative word is "elegant" in all respects: silver and linen at each table, and, if I remember rightly, fresh-cut flowers.
DRINKS: Limitless amounts of tea!
SERVICE: Polite waiters will help you out and assist you, but you are free to go up to the buffet and help yourself as often as you wish.
PRICE RANGE FOR THE TEA ROOM:
(BIG TIP: If you don't want to pay for both general admission to the grounds AND to the tea room, make sure you make your tea room reservations for the first Thursday of the month, because admission to the grounds is free!)
Adults $19.95 per person, plus tax
Children (ages 4-8) $9.98 per person, plus tax
Groups of 8 or more $25.49 per person (tax and gratuity included).
HOURS TO THE HUNTINGTON:
Summer Hours (May 29 thru Sept. 2)
Tuesday-Sunday: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
After Sept. 2:
Tues.- Fri.: Noon - 4:30 p.m.
Sat.- Sun.: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Closed Mondays and the following holidays:
Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Memorial Day,
Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day, Thanksgiving.
Open Easter Sunday.
ADMISSION TO THE HUNTINGTON GROUNDS:
Cash, CC
Non-members:
$15 Adults
$12 Seniors (age 65+)
$10 Students (age 12-18 or with full-time student I.D.)
$6 Youth (age 5-11)
Free for children under 5.
Groups of 15 or more: $11 per person
Admission is free to all visitors on the first Thursday of every month. Please note, that beginning Sept. 6, 2007, all non-member visitors to The Huntington on Free Day must have a ticket.
PARKING SITUATION: The Huntington has huge parking lots, and parking is free.
People thought this was:
I really enjoyed my experience here on Valentine's Day this year. For $25 you get your tea service buffet style which I think is a good deal compared to other tea rooms (that is if you're a member of Huntington Library anyway and didn't have to pay the entrance fee). The food was good, and I was very happy with my tea. I ordered the strawberry kiwi black tea and it came just perfectly hot, and stayed hot in that metal tea pot they served it in. The tea was excellent and the service was pretty good. I love the little scones on the table in which they can refill - we got to take the leftover scones home packaged in a lovely plastic bag. Really enjoyed my time here and the surrounding is lovely with all the rose bushes.
I have been here twice. I heard such great things about it, I decided to give it a second chance. Both times were a bit of a disappointment. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I hadn't ever had afternoon tea before.
As previously mentioned, the sandwiches and other eatables are served buffet style which keeps the price much lower than traditional tea rooms. The food was good and I ate way too much, but still, buffet style does not scream afternoon tea. I want my tea to come with a nice side of pretension; something not possible with a buffet. The tea selection was really lacking. As I remember it, there were only three tea options.
Don't go here if you want a real afternoon or "High" tea. Rather, if you are planning a trip to the gardens anyway, make a reservation here for a nice break.
People thought this was:
We were super excited to conclude our visit with tea here. Our reservation time was perfect and our table was waiting for us when we arrived. Our server was a bit harried but pleasant and attentive. The tea room is small and not attractive. The tea was served buffet style. I should have researched this more because I would have stayed away. It was a bit dirty for my liking. The sneeze guard, the tongs, the picked over platters. Not my cup of tea, pun intended.
The scones were delivered warm to the table so I stuck with those. I ate a lot of them to get my $24.95's worth. I'd pass on this part of the lovely Huntington Library.
People thought this was:
Tea and finger sandwiches......ummm, no thanks! or so I thought......
But really, check this place out, but before you do, make sure you do your prep work or it will not be worth it. In my case, I have girlfriends that worked out all the details and all I had to do was sit in a car, walk and eat. One star gets deducted due to all the prep work.
First of all, if you plan on just eating at the Tea Room, go on the first Thursday of every month, admission into the Gardens is free and there is nothing more annoying that paying twice to get food. Seriously I view admission prices the same way I view taxes. I HATE admission prices, cover charges whatever, it's like a form of legalized rape....
Next, make sure someone is smart enough to make a reservation. This must be done or you will sit and wait and wait and wait and wait and then may not even get in to eat.
Once you take a nice stroll through the gardens to get here, you will have worked up a small appetite. It is buffet style and as with any buffet, you will consume more than you should. In any other situation, I would look upon myself with quiet distain if I ate more than say, 1 1/2 sandwiches, but here, I kept going back for more and more squares of these delicous little nibbles and never once thought about the consumption amount. I did notice a few of the blue haired grumpys gave me the evil eye on my 5 trip back, but hey, the depression is over, there will be plenty for all of us!!
Though I guess, taking one lady's cane and beating her with it when she took the last delicate cucumber and pimento sandwich was a bit inappropriate....
After I woke up from the food coma, it occurred to me that I ate on close order about 5 sandwiches, on top of all the cheeses, scones, biscuits, etc.
I would definitely come back and don't fill up on the tea, save room for the sandwiches.
People thought this was:
$.10 off
Neighborhood: Highland Park
Afternoon Lunch Special
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Neighborhood: Pasadena
Category: Coffee & Tea
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Neighborhood: Pasadena
Category: Tea Rooms
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