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- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
186 reviews for The Garden Court
Review Highlights
"The ambiance here is perfect for Sunday Brunch."
(in 38 reviews)
"...when the sun is shining through the glass ceiling."
(in 14 reviews)
"...treated to world class live jazz by very artful performers."
(in 12 reviews)
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186 reviews in English
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Review from Bebe W.
San Mateo, CA
1/1/2012
I came here for afternoon tea on 12/27/11. I have to say that when you come here, you need to go in with the mindset that you are eating at a destination with a lot of history. Yes, it is overpriced - it runs a little over $100 for a basic garden court tea for two. if you drink champagne it will cost more.
But for an occasional splurge, the destination alone is worth it. Where else can you get an afternoon tea for all ages in a historic SF hotel? The garden court is large and airy, with skylights at the top. They have a harpist, and the venue is festively decorated at this time of the year. You can have tea for hours and not be disturbed or interrupted by the wait staff. Make sure you make reservations for the tea before coming - you may not get a seat otherwise. Also note that reservations for afternoon tea can not be made on Open Table - you actually have to call them and make the reservation.
The tea selection is decent - something for every palate: herbal options (I had a royal lavender rooibus tea), black, and several green varieties. They are known for royally good earl gray tea - my friend had this and confirmed it.
The sandwiches are tiny - make sure you have lunch before coming. The bite-size desserts come in a 3-tier serving plate along with the scones. Also note that the red, yellow and white condiments they bring out are NOT ketchup, mustard and mayo BUT jam, lemon curd, and cream! You will get clear plastic boxes to bring home your desserts (it's a bit much to eat in one setting). Great variety on the desserts - bite size circular pecan pie, pumpkin pie, fruit tartlet, shortbread cookie, chocolate covered strawberry, etc.
There were many little girls who came here with their moms and it was the cutest sight - they each received a tiara and a giant lollipop sceptre. Time seems to stand still here and you can imagine little girls from the last century coming here, and then growing up, and bringing their little girls here and the cycle continues - a family tradition is born!
I came here with a dear friend and it was great to catch up with her in such a lovely atmosphere. I'll be back next year, and now I want to try the other afternoon teas downtown - I think Ritz Carlton and Nieman Marcus Rotunda have teas as well. -
Review from Dean W.
12/26/2011
It's been many, many years since I've had afternoon tea at The Garden Court but since it's Christmas and we were all out shopping, I thought it would be nice to do it again. What's great about The Garden Court is the festive decorations starting with the giant tree in the middle of the room and the gingerbread man houses, bridges and other designs outside. That is really as much as there is to be excited about the tea service.
When we got there, they had us down for six people but there were only five in our party. The hostess said something in the lines of well we have a table for six for you but we'll have to give you that table. Is it such a big difference? Service was blah. Yes they took our orders quickly and that was pretty much it except they did make sure we had enough hot water. The food was uninspiring as was the service. Waiters seem to go through the motions and the pastries well, they were pastries. Scones were cold and the selection wasn't great. The only highlight was the rose flavored jam.
I think I'll give it many years before I come again. I'll go to Ritz or Mark Hopkins next time I want holiday afternoon tea. -
Review from Michael E.
San Francisco, CA
12/25/2011
We enjoyed the second, 2:30 PM seating for the Christmas Day brunch buffet. (The first was at 11:30 AM.) Everything was flawless: the gorgeous room (the former early 20th Cent. hotel carriage court) with crystal chandeliers and Victorian glass dome, a gigantic Christmas tree, an excellent jazz trio (piano, guitar and string bass) playing gentle standards and holiday songs.
Gourmet buffet tables filled half of the next-door ballroom, offering every conceivable brunch and Christmas dinner delight. All of the food was delicious, though it wasn't possible to sample more than a fraction of the array of offerings.
Excellent Piper Sonoma sparkling wine was included, as well as sparkling cider on request and good coffee or tea, poured by an unobtrusive but attentive server. We were seated promptly and while all the tables were occupied, it wasn't noisy and the music could be heard easily.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable way to have Christmas dinner, with everything offered in a way which facilitated a delightful shared experience with friends. -
Review from Scott G.
12/13/2011
I have been here a few times for work lunches. My overall impression is that it is "fine," but certainly not in the special category. San Fran has so many wonderful places to eat, it is hard for me to put this on the short list.
However, the setting is very nice. It certainly is a special spot in a neat old, grand hotel. So, doing lunch or tea here once is probably a worthy outting.Listed in: No Cal from a non-lo cal
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Review from Tanya F.
Roseville, CA
12/19/2011
HOward Y. is spot on in his review.
I was very excited to have Christmas tea at The Palace with a close friend. We traveled from the Sacramento area for a special day in SF. Reservations required. Tea for two with tax and tip ($100).
Our menu (per person serving): Five quarters of white sandwich bread, open faced with four different toppings. The toppings were sliced very thin see picture for size). One medium sized black currant triangular scone. Bite sized desserts (mini pecan pie, mini pumpkin pie, chocolate colored strawberry, shortbread dipped in chocolate), personal pot of tea.
I write this review in comparison of wonderful teas I've experienced in the past in other countries and States.
Positives: The ambiance and beauty of the dining room. We enjoyed beautiful music by a live harpist. The servers made sure our teapots were full. We were able to sit and relax for 2 hours, never feeling pressured to leave. We highly recommend the Oriental Spice tea.
Negatives: If you do not ask, they will refill your teapot without new leaves. The sandwich bread was dry as if sandwiches were made the day prior and sat out. Two out of the four were somewhat tasty, the turkey was horrible. The scones were ok. Lemon curd was good, cream was ok (not clotted), and we could not determine the jelly flavor. The desserts reminded us of Costco. The strawberry was hard and tasteless.
Unfortunately, we were moderately annoyed by several young girls weaving through the dining room as their mothers enjoyed their lunch. We talked to the very friendly maître d' (after one hour of this) and he kindly offered us sparkling wine. We were also asked if we wanted an additional scone. This great service made our afternoon much more enjoyable.
Overall, for the price and reputation of The Palace Hotel we expected an exceptional menu selection and taste. We do not recommend and will not return unless the selection and taste improves. -
Review from Paul M.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2012
OK there must be something about the Palace Hotel and bad food. It's a pretty setting though. Never had a chunky crab meat cake before. Way overpriced for what you're getting. Meat wasn't the best quality.
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Review from Shirley N.
San Francisco, CA
12/3/2011
5.0 stars for ambiance
3.0 stars for tea service
My friends and I decided to have our holiday tea here yesterday afternoon since the hotel would be festive and decorated.
It did not disappoint. Huge tree in the middle of the room, and a live harpist entertaining us while we sipped tea and enjoyed our afternoon tea. And several gingerbread houses nearby the registration area that were created by local bay area celebrities.
However the food was so so as was the hot tea. We ordered individual pots but all got the same flavor - the anniversary blend. It leaned toward the green tea variety.
I didn't think the water was hot enough, and had to ask several times for hot water refills.
Of the savory items, the pear and the cucumber ones were very good. The rest was just edible. The sweet items were all forgettable. None had the wow factor.
We each paid $50 inc tax and tip. Definitely a special occasion experience, and maybe once a decade or greater.
Service was average as was the food. -
Review from hOWARD y.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2011
Afternoon Tea....a sad decline
I've lived in SF for 25 years and have done afternoon tea at the Palace about a dozen times. While it remains a lovely - albiet expensive - respite, the quality of food and service is DRAMATICALLY lower than in the past. Tea at the Palace used to be comparable to tea at a good if not great London hotel but in a remarkable setting. Not so any more, and this is a sad loss.
First the good - the room remains, as ever, truly lovely. There is really nothing else like it in the City. Sort of like a wintergarden with high ceilings, ornate detail, and lovely filtered light coming through the obscure skylights. The pianist is servicable, playing nice background standards. Our waiter was friendly though (as discussed below) clearly overextended.
Now the not so good - the wife and I had Tea for Two which is their regular tea service (pot of tea, plate of open face 'sandwiches' scones with clotted cream, jelly and lemon curd, and a selection of small pastries) but with the addtion of a 375ml bottle of decent champagne. The price is $90 for two, so with tax and tip call it $120. Clearly a luxury and a price point where one should reasonably expect top notch food and service. Read on McDuff.
The champagne was a quite good (blanking on the brand) NV brut. The tea selection may have been narrowed, but I can't be sure about that. I had a nice jasmine pearl, and DH had English Breakfast. No complaints so far.
Our table was covered by a waiter (good) and a helper (lousy.) Between them they covered at least a dozen tables totalling over 40 customers. That is too much to ask of them i think. That said, the helper was an older asian lady whose service belonged in a cheap dim sum house, not a pricy English tea. She virtually threw our plates on to the table, and it took me a solid 15 minutes to get her attention (and trust me, I was not being shy) to get our pots refilled.
The food was, across the board, skimpy and of poor quality. In fact, I strongly suspect that the baked goods were not made on site.
First came a plate of open faced sandwiches. I prefer full (top and bottom) sandwiches but that is personal preference, though I really half think they got rid of the top to save on the bread! There were I think 6 very small sandwiches. In fact, at first I assumed they were a sort of hor derves course in advance of the tea setting. Wrong. They were served on a plain dinner plate and all fo them were truly undistinguished. Again a point of personal preference, but I like it when the tea tray has the sandwiches, scones and cakes all on the one setting. I seem to remember that the Palace used to do it that way, but I could be wrong on that and certianly lots of good tea's serve the sandwiches separately.
I love smoked salmon but the fish on the tiny triangle of bread was flat tasting and totally lacking the sort of fatty texture that makes it worth the calories and price. There was a processed turkey, a cucumber, a pear and 2 or 3 more. No egg or chicken salad, and nothing else interesting or exicting.
And again, at the risk of the old joke about "the food was terrible and the portions were tiny" the sandwich 'course' felt very chintzy, of low grade ingrediants, and lackign the pop that makes eating that sort of silly food fun. And the portion was tiny! At most good tea's they do serve relatively small portions, but constantly offer refills. Again, this isn't a buffet but for $60 a head you do expect to have a bit of a meal.
Ok, enough of the savories, on to the sweets. We were served two cold, slightly stale scones (orange flavored with crust of large sugar crystals.) This was REALLY disappointing. In the end English tea is all about the scones and these were of Starbucks quality. Sniff. And one scone per person? Bah!
Accompanying the scones was a small setting of Lemon Curd (fine,) rose jelly (eh) and clotted cream. Except it WAS NOT clotted cream. It was sweet thick whipped cream. Totally unacceptable! Clotted cream is again an essnetial and it should not be sweet. The rose jelly was ok, I guess. No jams or preserves. Good thing the scones sucked, eh?
Finally the mini tarts, eclairs, etc. A couple were ok, but nothing great. And all tasted a bit over the hill.
So, lest you had not gotten my gist, I was pretty freakin' disappointed. Tea at the palace had been one of my favorite splurges for years. I can't see going again any time soon. Maybe I'll give Lovejoy's Tea Room another try (been a few years since I visited them.) -
Review from Elena L.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
This is way way way over-priced for buffet. We didn't realize they had holiday brunch pricing, so we were unpleasantly surprised when we got the bill. We had 3 ppl, and paid well over a hundred per person for a disappointingly ordinary BUFFET (other than the sushi station). They have decent selections, but seriously, it's just a buffet!!!
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Review from Emmett M.
San Francisco, CA
10/30/2011 9 photos
Sunday Brunch at the Garden Court at the Palace Sheraton is a special experience - perfectly suited to either a family get together or a one-on-one date with your beautiful significant other. It's a perfect venue to show off a great dress, be happy and feel special.
I guess I eat here about once every eight months.
The food is great - but that's mostly because there is big variety of food - including dim sum, some vegetarian cuisine and standard breakfast fare.
You can - if you want - eat an entire tray of chocolate covered strawberries. So it's great for kids - even if they aren't hungry!
I love the music. For something fun - between sets - I sometimes give my date 20$ to purchase a music CD and a chance to one-on-one chat with the musicians - always special people. The artists vary - sometimes it's a symphony musician - say a harp player - sometimes a jazz band.
I last visited on October 23rd, 2011. Brunch for two - including a well deserved 25$ tip set me back $175 - and that was with no alcohol.
Enjoy the pics of my friends and gal-pals - they were taken over several visits.
The pics show how wonderful this place is.
If you're touristing The City - I recommend that you watch the end of Michael-Douglas's/Sean-Pean's movie called "The Game" . The last scene has Douglas suicide jumping through the glass roof. -
Review from Char c.
San Francisco, CA
10/11/2011
It was a total experience !! a true San Francisco treat.
Yes! its pricy but worth every penny. I recently took my Boyfriend for his birthday and it was breath taking.. they had more then enough food selection and amazing drinks .
the staff was great.. they seem to know alot about the build and the food!
a "Must See" in the City!! esp for Sunday Brunch... -
Review from Courtney M.
San Francisco, CA
11/2/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Let me warn you. $68 per person for sunday brunch. Totally worth it!! Yum. They have EVERYTHING except like...tacos. But who wants tacos when you can have sushi, Brie cheese, dim sum, French toast and blintzes on the same plate?!
I like the assortment, the quality is out of this world, it's beautiful, elegant and in walking distance so I can walk a bit of my champagne brunch off :) if you have some extra cash laying around, treat your self and feel rich for a day! -
Review from jay h.
9/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love the hotel. It is gorgeous and the garden court is delicately bright and open.
The Afternoon Tea was not amazing. I know the deserts are all pre-made but the sandwiches looked like they were pre-made. They had a 'day-in-the-fridge' look and taste to them. I would hope that if I make a reservation somewhere that they take the time to make the food fresh. They're sandwiches....little ones. Is it really that difficult?.
I took it as a general let down since Afternoon Teas is pretty rote and has been a long-running service they provide. The tea itself was great but I wouldn't go back. -
Review from Giuditta B.
San Francisco, CA
9/22/2011
The Garden Court in the famous PALACE HOTEL needs to know that it's incredible place for lunch! I had a business luncheon today, and WOW WOW - totally took us away from our zany corporate zealous world and planted us in a relaxing, historical, gorgeous environment. Classical music playing, superb wait staff and now let's talk about the Food.
We gals watch our waistlines, but there were abundant selections and we opted for a grilled salmon and the other entree was a incredible pork chop. Bottom line: we asked our great waiter to alter our entrees, like take off the starch and add greens. Our plates were amazing! Would cost twice the amount somewhere else for this ambience, quality and service.
SO do your next business luncheon at The Garden Court Palace Hotel. -
Review from Peter J.
Oakland, CA
11/6/2011
First thing first!
DO NOT RELY ON THE PHOTOS! I DID!
Walking into this place for the first time I was pleased to see the large open space with plenty of room to walk around.
"It was all a mirage"
Walked up to the lady and asked for seating for 2. She asked me if I had made reservations and said "I called in and the gentleman over the phone said "come in before 1PM and everything is good"" She game me a unfriendly and dissapointed look when I saw more then 20 open seats and about 5 tables from a glance. Interesting I thought but let's not let this be a reason to pass judgement on the food.
Got seating for 2 and first thing I noticed was "LIPSTICK" on my friends coffee cup! I politely told the guy, with the friendly french accent and he took care of it promptly. Second, all the food is scattered all around the place, I wish it was just in one spot. All cold or luke warm.
This place has the placement of food and tables all wrong, it totally threw my "FENG SHUI" off!
Only place the food was good in here is at the OMELET STATION!
If I ever (99.9% chance I wont) I will stand here all day, and bring different things from the luke warm and cold section to get tossed into the OMELET!
That is the only fresh or hot food you will see in this place. Well let me take that back, there was hot "fish and various mini cuts of meats" all soaking in some type of juice or sauce to keep them moist but 120 feet across the room on the other side of the place! Also you have to navigate through the tables and chairs and trying to go "around" the whole thing is, well if you have a wheel chair or crutches, better bring someone to fill your plates!
The dessert section was horrible, I mean, just try the crepes and that fruit compote was just horrible.
$68 per person = $136 + 28 tip $164
$48 Valet 50% off = $24 + 6 tip $30
for (2) two people
*****Total: $194*****
To me this was totally a waste of money, seriously and it is not often I feel this way about an establishment that should be 4 or 5 stars.
OH! I almost forgot if you like bottomless Champagne or OJ then this place is for you, since you will be so drunk, the food quality probably won't matter to you.
I will never return to this place or ever recommend it to anybody.
Notice I did not mention any of the foods in detail in this posting.
Nothing was special except the OMELETS! Put it in there then you have something to talk about. -
Review from Jennifer C.
Newark, CA
KOBE BEEF BURGER for $25. Juciest burger i've ever had.... and it was huge... but why the 3 stars? Way too heavy and expensive!
Let me just say that this place is located inside the Palace Hotel. It's a gorgeous and well lit, garden-looking establishment, where your water glasses never even come close to running dry because of the superb service. Camel approves. (i drink a TON of water).
They have complimentary freshly baked bread/biscuits. So good and buttery, but do NOT, i repeat, DO NOT fill up on these coz the portions here are HUGE!
Down to business: the Kobe burger was excellent. The patty was super flavorful and juicy. The accoompanying fries were just as delish and seasoned well (no ketchup required). The burger also comes with 2 types of aoilis: Truffle aioli (my fave! it's delish, has a hint of mushroomy goodness) and pesto aioli (a bit on the lighter side, but still very yummy).
Note: I think they charge $5 for splitting plates. Our check said "open food" and $10 by it and we had 2 burgers split between 4 people. -
Review from Yuriko K.
San Francisco, CA
7/22/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Attended: Sunday Father's Day Buffet
I am a huge buffet fan. The Garden Court buffet at the Palace Hotel is my third favorite place to have buffet in the Bay Area (#1: Ritz Half Moon Bay, #2 Ritz SF). It has a better ambiance than the Ritz SF but the food is less impressive than either Ritz's. I especially did not like the way that the crepes were being prepared (premade and dipped in hot water to serve?) and was a little let down at the sushi section since we usually love the quality of the fish being served at the Palace Hotel's Kyoya Restaurant. We thought that the cuts of sushi were a little tough.
The eating area is beautiful, bright and airy and when it's sunny outside, the sunshine comes streaming through the glass ceiling making it feel oh so magical. The flowers and antiques throughout made the room that much more special. Let's just say for two hours, it made us forget that we were in a busy city, even with a packed buffet crowd.
Either way, I cannot justify the price for the type of food that I got. The selection was decent and the service was good but definitely not a five star rating considering it cost us $300 (including tip) for three adults.
PROS:
- Ambiance
CONS:
- Price -
Review from t l.
San Francisco, CA
5/8/2011
Went today for Mother's Day brunch and am compelled to let others know that it's not worth the hype.
I would not recommend this buffet to anyone. It's a $100 a head so...be prepared to spend some $$$! Yes, the location is lovely....but when your dining with 400 other people in a giant grand ballroom --there's got to be some major flaws! Lets just call this "cattle style dining". I knew when I saw 200 people lined up for the hostess we were in for trouble. Is this a tourist trap?
Champagne was skimpy, coffee skimpy. Food barely passed the C+ range. Wide assortment of food but not very tasty and if you are a foodie like me....You will not be happy.
Save your money...go to Gary Danko for dinner. -
Review from Trishia P.
Long Beach, CA
7/6/2011
My bestie and I love us some Tea Service. We just had to go on a cold, rainy day to get us some.
Bestie was feeling regal so we ordered priciest tea pack: The Tea for Two. There was a stacked 3 plate tower with scones, tea sandwiches, cream and other mini pastries. We were both provided individual tea pots. I got the 100 Year Anniversary Tea, it was very fragrant and floral. I opened up my pot to see rosebuds floating around in it. I also got maybe 3 water refills for my teapot (yeah I'm a camel) and we split a bottle of Pierre Brut Champagne.
The food portions were dainty, the warm scones were really good and I remember getting a side of cream that I didn't particularly like (I like Crown and Crumpets better). The tea sandwiches were really sweet and savory but since they were so tiny it kept me wanting more. I recall liking the Smoked Duck Breast sandwich the most with Foie gras and a touch of raspberry. But I liked all the tea sandwiches overall.
Service was a-ok. I think the server kind of ignored us because bestie and I look like tiny girls but are actually grown capable women.
I really wanted to go there to ogle the beautiful dome rooftop. Since it's a historical building, that's what draws me to these old world venues. It's a very pricey tea, but I did appreciate the setting, furniture and really talented pianist playing a variety of classic piano songs. There's something so whimsical about historical venues, dangit. -
Review from Gary D.
Livermore, CA
7/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
The ambiance for the Garden Court is off the charts. An amazingly large atrium overhead while you eat, a place bustling with energy yet not too loud, and a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere with friendly waitstaff...it's truly an experience to eat here. I understand the weekend buffet here is the Garden Court at its finest, but I figure a good restaurant should be consistently good throughout the week. So please pardon my review for their standard weekday lunch experience.
I ordered the salmon and was delighted to be presented with a thick, meaty cut of fish surrounded with vegetables and covered with a light sauce; however, I was disappointed to find it overcooked and tough on the outside. Given the top reviews for their weekend tea service, I had hoped they'd offer some type of exotic iced tea with some fruity tropical infusion, but alas, I think it was your standard Lipton black tea over ice. But our waitress did keep our glasses filled and came back to check on us frequently without ever being a nuisance.
From the dessert menu we shared the sorbets and the cookie assortment. The lychee sorbet was excellent; the other sorbets were just ok, perhaps a bit too sweet and tangy. The cookies were thick and crunchy, and though the waitress claimed they were made fresh in their ovens that day we thought they came from a box. Of the 7 different cookies I thought the plain chocolate chip was the best...but even that reminded me of Chips Ahoy. I love me a good macaroon but even this one wasn't great.
As bad as I make it sound, the food wasn't bad...just not what I expected when you drop $80 on a lunch for two. The atrium is what I really remember now, it really was the showpiece for a positive memorable experience. I plan to return for the weekend buffet someday. -
Review from Candice P.
San Francisco, CA
10/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've always loved this venue! Bright and regal and and spacious! Haven't been in years, went today and had the scallops. DELISH! Can't wait to go back!
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Review from Christian H.
San Rafael, CA
5/3/2011
Leonardo DiCaprio on the movie "Titanic". His name was Jack Dawson - the Third Class passenger who managed to rub elbows with the First-class passengers for a night. That's who I WAS!
I felt like Third-Class Jack the morning I walked into this place. Not just because the Garden Court at The Palace Hotel is a fancy place that resembled something you would have likely seen on the grand RMS Titanic (with its high-columned ceilings, ornate furniture, chandeliers and other fancy decorations). But also because I felt intimidated; like I didn't belong in such a place like this. The hostess clearly had had this reaction from many people before; I walked in and said "Uhhhhhh...."
She said "Go ahead!!" with a smile.
Maybe part of my "I'm Jack Dawson on the Titanic" issue was that I was meeting a large group of distant, estranged 'family friends' that I hardly had a lick in common with. The hike across this gigantic dining room to their large, round table where everyone was patiently waiting was "awwwwkward" to say the least.
That awkwardness passed quickly, though, as the general feeling of having brunch at this place started to take over for everyone at the table. It really felt like we were on a Voyage someplace else.
If you are ever thinking about getting fancy and doing a special weekend brunch with friends or family, The Garden Court is definitely worth a visit. Most likely (for a couple of hours or so) it will have you feeling like you are "The King Of The World!". -
Review from Megan L.
6/1/2011
I came here for afternoon tea service sort of already knowing that it was a ripoff. It's worth the $40 only if you're here for the location/experience, not the food.
We each got a pot of tea and a set number of assorted tea sandwiches and pastries. The warm scones were the best part, everything else was just ok. I was surprisingly full, but I would still recommend eating a light lunch before coming.
The Garden Court itself is absolutely breathtaking, especially when the sun is shining through the glass ceiling. If you love getting dolled up and taking photos, this is the place to do it! -
Review from Sisi W.
3/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
OH MY!!!
Very nice, gorgeous, this whole ambiance makes you feel rich LOL
Food-overall= GOOD, you will get buttom-less mimosa, oyster (very fresh), yummy dessert, crapes, anything you need.
Minus - star=$68/person, well i knew I was going to pay a lot, but this was little more than I expected.
More than what I paid for my dinner that day LOL
Was it worth it...? maybe for people who can eat alot...
both of us are not buffet kinda people so we probly won't go back.
Nice experience tho! -
Review from Clifford L.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2010
There is but one word to describe the Sunday champagne brunch here - Opulent.
Alight your coach, then twenty-five steps to the high columns framing the stunning thirty-foot Christmas tree and baby grand trio among the sea of gleaming white tables and silver and crystal ware regally beneath the historic stained glass skylight.
White-gloved servers welcome you with bottomless champagne and orange juice. The buffet quietly awaits your pleasure through two mirrored French doors to the adjacent ballroom, no less than fifteen food stations. * Plan on a leisurely two and one half hour feast.
Needless to say, the service is impeccable.
* Top three stations, roast beef and baked ham, pasta toss, and (of course) DESSERT.
[Book early.] -
Review from Rita S.
Novato, CA
12/29/2010
AFTERNOON TEA DISAPPOINTMENT
This place is resting on it's laurels of beautiful setting and tradition. Except for the Garden Court setting, there is nothing about this place that is charming or attractive any more. After coming here every couple years with my daughters for the past two decades, I'm so saddened by the decline of this place.
SERVICE
Apathetic and impersonal. The wait staff is unpolished. I had a waitress open up the top of the tea pot once to sniff the tea because she couldn't remember which pot was which. Gross! Another time, I saw a waiter eating some of the tea sandwiches in the butler area. Ick.
FOOD
Stale and sparse. Probably the skimpy portions are a good thing, because the food is just not good. The finger sandwiches taste like left overs from the day before. The crust on the pastries (mini-tarts) are tough and dry. Only the scones are warm and fresh.
PRICE
Basic high tea is $40 per person. OMG, imagine what kind of meal $40 usually buys you. Then, look at the stale sandwiches and pastries you get with your pot of tea, and you realized that you have been royally ripped off.
If you want the fancy tea experience there are so many better options, both in terms of food quality and pricing. Crown & Crumpet, Lovejoys, Secret Garden are just a few. Look up Tea Rooms in Yelp and avoid feeling like you've been chumped. -
Review from Niels H.
Cupertino, CA
5/23/2011
Went here for the first time with a party of 6 for Sunday brunch to celebrate a family birthday. Walking in was like traveling through space and time to 1900's Europe. I somehow never knew such a spectacular place existed in San Francisco. The room itself would almost be worth the trip, but the food and service were just as amazing.
The doormen and valets out front not only assisted with two persons with mobility issues but kept both our cars right in front so we wouldn't have to wait around upon leaving. The servers were very friendly, accommodated every request and kept our glasses full. I would describe this as service for people who appreciate good service.
The buffet contained a wide variety of items from sushi to dim sum to seafood to hot entrees to breakfast plus lots of desserts. Probably any one section had more than enough choices to satisfy so I couldn't help but feel a bit gluttonous piling my plate at every section. Every item was good and some items, like the shrimp dumplings, were so tasty that we had to go back for seconds and thirds.
Really the only complaints I can make are that it's too expensive for anything other than a special occasion and that, while most people were dressed nicely, there were a fair number of people dressed too casually, such as in sports jerseys or t-shirts. Don't mean to sound snobby. It was just jarring to be looking around this elegant room full of people in their Sunday best and see a guy in a bright yellow jersey at the next table. Not anything to get upset about, but I would encourage anyone coming here to dress up for the occasion. -
Review from Joey S.
Corte Madera, CA
10/6/2011
First of all, let me say that I give the ambience 5 stars - the most beautiful dining room ever! The food is extremely mediocre, my husband had a tuna tartar that was totally bland and had a bad odor. He ate 3 bites and left the rest. The waitress didn't seem to care that he didn't like it. Although our waitress had a pleasant personality, the 2 hostesses at the front were a couple of sourpusses with no personality. We were elegantly dressed, celebrating our anniversary and made reservations 3 weeks in advance and greeted them cheerfully. They looked down their noses at us as if we were a couple of bums.
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Review from Jo Jo P.
San Francisco, CA
5/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Don't leave without having the tuna tartare. It's incredible. The service is excellent and the food is worth every penny.
Interesting fact, while the building itself is not designated as historic, the ceiling of the Garden Court is. Not sure how that works - but there you have it. -
Review from Mike H.
San Francisco, CA
1/1/2011
I see crazy mixed reviews here.. I guess the Garden Court is used to serve all sorts of food and events.. therefore you will get mixed staff, mixed service, and mixed food..
But my experience here specifically relates to:
Sunday Brunch
Two People - Took a well established client here
Lets first start with..
ATMOSPHERE
Gonna make this easy and quick.. when you walk in, you feel poor.. just like the Ritz Carlton. A lot of history with this hotel and you feel the rich old money all over the building. If you lived with money during the times of the Titanic.. you would stay here.
If you brought a hottie here.. she sould be impressed.. unless her previous ten rich boyfriends took her here.. then you should probably break up.
FOOD
Depends who you bring here and who is worth $70-$80 per person for an AWESOMENESS + OMGAH-NESS buffet lunch.. I would say this place is comparable to Vegas Wynn or any of the crazy good Vegas buffets, but tripple the price..
if you have an awesome hottie.. bring her here..
if shes not awesome.. McDonalds is just a block away.. jk
so why are you dating her anyway?
If you went to a nice restaurant with someone special, you probably would have spent this much for the food + wine, but this place is still CRAZY expensive..
Sunday lunch for two = $160+ Is it worth it?
depends how hot she is.. ha jk.
when you come here.. make sure you come hungry..
PRICE
Crazy Expensive -
Review from Sin F.
San Francisco, CA
10/3/2011 2 photos
I've only eaten here once (because the parents paid) but what a dazzling bit of beauty this place is. I learned about it in a cuisine course I was taking and I was not lied to. The entire hotel is first class but the restaurant is stunning. Beauty aside it's everything to expect from a place with class: good service, small delectable portions and ambiance that can' be replicated. This place is great!
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Review from Sam C.
Oakland, CA
8/31/2010
LOW TEA!!!
My sister and I decided to treat ourselves to fancy afternoon tea at the Palace Hotel for our dual birthdays. (both big birthdays, I might add). I've admired this glamorous room many times and was looking forward to finally having tea there. I had a really hard time making the reservation, which I should have taken as a sign... there was much confusion with my name, (not a complicated name at all), and they kept confusing me with a bridal shower party. After many confusing phone calls, and cancellations (??) we finally had reservations for afternoon tea last Saturday.
When we showed up, all gussied up, they pointed us over to the bridal shower, AGAIN, ("there's your table!") Ugh! No! Well, we finally managed to convinced them that we didn't want to participate in a stranger's bridal shower, and were seated at our table.
We sat there for a VERRRY long time before we were greeted. We ordered the Tea for Two with champagne. A few minutes later, a busboy came by and plopped a plate of tea sandwiches on our table, and said nothing. No tea. No champagne. A little while later, the tea and champagne arrived, this time we had a server, who also said very little as we asked about our sandwiches. We started to pour our tea, and realized we weren't exactly sure how to use the strainers. We finally flagged down another server (our original one was nowhere to be found), who showed us how to use the strainers, beginning with "yeah, these don't really fit these tea cups that well..." I'm sorry, but, isn't it KIND of important to have tea strainers that fit the tea cups when you are offering a tea service?! (for $98??)
Overall, the service was almost NON-EXISTENT. Whenever we needed something, we would wave down a busboy, who ended up acting as our server by default. I have honestly had better service at TGIFridays. At one point my sister needed to use the restroom and they pointed her in the wrong direction. I went shortly after her and told her that the lock was broken on my stall door so 2 different people walked in on me while I was going, to which she added "at least you didn't have a homeless person washing themselves in the sink when you went."
We again, had a difficult time finding our or any server to help us when it came time to get our check. I was looking forward to making my disappointment known in my tip, but alas, the GRATUITY WAS INCLUDED!!! Now I know why no one was trying! I can't say I've ever heard of gratuity being included with 2 people(?) For only $100 bill? Did they think we were gonna skip out on it?? Oh, and they were very generous tipping themselves too, by the way, (20%!)
Thanks to the half bottle of champagne, the gorgeous room, the great company, and making fun out of our experience, we did have a great time, but the service was AWFUL and I would never recommend this tea service to anyone, unless you have a sense of humor and want a good story. What a shame for such a pretty space! -
Review from Emily S.
9/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
Yikes.
This place is so pretty. Eating here is like eating in a castle.
Came here for their breakfast buffet. I have never been so full.
There was eggs, sausage, pancakes, all sorts of muffins and pastries, oatmeal, sunny side up eggs, bacon.. that's all I can remember.
You get your own individual sized ketchup or tapatio. Little jars of jam.
The food was good. The eggs didn't taste like them microwaved it.. being that they were cooking in bulk.
And the food wasn't oily, or unhealthy.
Service was okay. Although, that was fine, since we served ourselves.
Not sure about the price though... $30 for all of that. Lucky for us, we got two free meal tickets for staying at the hotel. :) -
Review from Cath M.
2/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
**Sunday Brunch Review**
The S.O. is a fan of breakfast + brunch + buffets and so this was the perfect place for me to take him to... to start off our V-Day weekend right!
I made reservations via http://opentable.com (a month in advance since I knew it would be busy considering it was V-Day weekend...) and I confirmed it a week before hand (just in case) and host made sure to tell me that it was $75 per person due to V-Day... (gulp...)
We arrived just after 10:30ish and they were able to seat us down ...
Right after getting seated... our main server named Bill was on the spot giving us a glass of champagne and OJ and asked if we wanted coffee. He also told us where what station was and it was all fun thereafter!
I've always loved their high, gorgeous ceilings. It went well with the live band (pianist) playing in the background... created a nice ambiance overall...
*LIQUOR: endless refills for everything. Chandon Rose was getting poured left and right. I must have had 7-9 glass of them! Shoot... we were going to walk around SF AND I just wanted to get the best out of my $!
*FOOD: OK... not mind blowing but just ok. Definitely take tiny portions so you can go around and taste everything. S.O. made this mistake by stocking up with breakfast items on his first plate... so he didn't make the most of it like I did!
- Dimsum: didn't come near it b/c I wasn't in the mood and I needed to save space for other goodies!
- Breakfast: I tried their omelet station (got spinach, cheese, mushroom and bacon) and it was good. He added just the right about of seasonings and cheese to make it really cheesier! The omelet maker guy was friendly and fast.
- Carving / Hot Station: I tried their prime rib with the sauce = definitely tasted better with the sauce! Also got the stuffed chicken... decent and good... and I forgot the other stuff but they were all tasty...
- Cheese: They didn't have any brie so I didn't try any others...
- Dessert: the peach mousse was delicious! I wished I gotten more but I was saving room for chocolate strawberries!!! I probably ate 10 or more of these goodies! Tasted so well champagne!
*SERVICE: awesome! Bill was always refilling our drinks... other bus boys were constantly taking our used plates and refiling our water.
In the end, it was really good and yes, definitely a special occasion spot. Go for the ambiance and the setting... the food isn't mind blowing but the setting and service is! -
Review from Phillip H.
San Francisco, CA
9/19/2010
Oh, how exceptionally beautiful and inspiring The Garden Court is. It's a very romatic place. The dinning experience is very memorable for special occasions, like my parents' anniversary. The live jazz music, which is part of the Sunday Brunch, is very cool and soothing.
I went there with my parents for their anniversary and we had a lovely Sunday Brunch.
The food is mediocre. The presentation is marvelous but the food taste like mass-produced. (It was not like this at the Hilton Sunday Brunch, which it was open. It saddened my family that it closed because we went there for Father's Day for several years. The food was much better and varied.)
I gave it a three star because the total experience was average, especially given the high price. Maybe if the food tasted better and there was more selection, I would have given a higher rating. But for now, I doubt I go back for the Sunday Brunch unless there's a strong compelling reason to do so. -
Review from Sarah M.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Beyond. Beyond amazing not only because I shared tea with my Grandma, but because the food, atmosphere and service were beyond my expectations. Sooooo, it was $100 for the Tea For Two service...but when you are making memories you'll gladly pay it.
Started with some champagne, then were served tea sandwiches (pear and goats cheese, salmon and caviar, turkey and raspberry) then served tea in our own pots. A three tiered tray of treats were then delivered.... they were fresh (I say this because other reviews talk of the staleness...which I did not experience).
We never felt rushed and truly were allowed to enjoy a special tea time that I know we will both remember for a long time. -
Review from Rob C.
Pacifica, CA
11/19/2011
This place used to be my favorite date restaurant. They tend to marvel at the posh furniture, flower arrangements, and the food. The past couple of times, though, the food was not up to par. It lacks the flavor it once used to have. The decorations are still nice, but being a guy, it's the food that needs to keep me coming back. Now I need to find a different date restaurant.
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Review from Louisa L.
Sunnyvale, CA
8/29/2010
I've heard great things about The Garden Court and have been wanting to come here, especially after seeing what it looks like being in the Palace Hotel. After actually having tea here Saturday afternoon, I can say that the garden court is all about the ambiance. The food is good, but i've definitely had better at other places. It's also pretty pricey here, cheapest is $40 per person, even more if you get champagne.
I got the garden court rose green tea, because I'm a fan of rose and green tea. It was very flavorful and good. The pastries were also good, but not great. The scone was pretty small, but it was interesting cuz it had salt on top. The jams were also good, their special is the rose jelly jam. The desserts i would say are probably the least satisfying part. They had fruit tarts and chocolate biscuits. I'm a huge dessert fan so I of course enjoyed it, but I kinda expected better. I would have to say that the sandwiches were the best part, minus the fact that they were tiny. They had very interesting flavors: salmon, duck breast, turkey (my favorite), cucumber, and the special pear.
The service was also very good, but the best part was definitely the fact that I was sitting in the PALACE HOTEL, which was beautifullllll~~ Definitely the most gorgeous place I've sat in (aside from Joel Robuchon in Vegas ^^;;), but honestly, I think ur only paying for the experience and the ambiance. I really enjoyed my time here, but I would probably not pay that much for tea time that I can have somewhere else with better food. -
Review from Stacey L.
San Francisco, CA
We've been meaning to take my friend Susanna here for her 30th Birthday. Unfortunately, she just celebrated her 31st birthday 3 weeks ago. So coming here is over a year late, but well worth the wait. We pulled up to a jolly valet attendant who told us to make sure to get a validation for parking so it would be $24 rather than $48 for parking.
We walked in the main atrium area and stood there for a few seconds in awe. Personally it's been about 15 years since I was last here. I forgot how regal it feels to be standing right in the center of it all. We were shown to our seats right by the pianist. 5 stars for our waiter. He was very attentitve while servicing 1/4 of the room.
All of us ordered the Garden Court Tea for $40 which includes homemade scones, assorted pastries the following sandwiches:
-Smoked salmon: caper mousse, chopped dill and caviar
-Sliced turkey: cranberry butter & asparagus
-Smoked duck breast: foie gras cream and rasberry
-Cucumber: sundried tomato mousse
-Sliced besc pears: point reyes blue cheese cream, honey
It never ceases to amaze me how different the four of us are though. We can all walk into the same store and never buy the same items. The same goes for our tea. I had the English Breakfast and they had the Chamomile, 100 yr & Earl Grey.
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because one of my friends is pregnant so she had some dietary restrictions meaning non processed foods, seafood or blue cheese. Since the sandwiches are pre-made that only left her with the cucumber. But our wonderful waiter brought out an extra peanut butter jelly and egg salad for her later.Listed in: Tea Party
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Review from Jowin C.
8/9/2010
FOOD
How much for the buffet? A little less than an arm and a leg... but still pretty expensive.
For Sunday brunch it's $68/person. There's a good selection the quality is not up to par. The dessert section is the saddest section. I can't believe the lady boiled the crepe to heat it up! I wish they would buy a crepe machine and make it fresh--seriously, for the price you're paying, you expect a little more.
The raw oysters are a little puney..like they never had a chance to grow....Awww. Leaving you feeling like you got ripped off when you grab one of them.."AW-HELL NAH!"
Some of the best thing there is the crackers, baked pastry puffs, corn chowder, and cheese (Brie, Manchego, and Midnight Moon!)
If you walk around clockwise, this is the type of food you'll encounter: Dim Sum and Chinese food, Breakfast food, Cereal, Dessert, Cooked Entree (American/French/ Italian), Meat (Prime Rib), and Sushi Bar (Rolls and Sashimi).
ATMOSPHERE
Live, fancy elevator music. No, being cheap, I didn't tip. But I did clap for them when they finished playing.
If you look inside, it feels like Disney's Beauty and the Beast...when Belle and the Beast was dancing in the dining area. I didn't spend too much time looking at the ceiling. I spent much of my time staring at my plate and how I can eat $68 worth of food. After leaving bloated, I realized that I could not have eaten that much food.
