The vibe here is great for an early evening date or hangout with a friend - it's really aesthetically appealing. Great tea selection. Our waiter was awesome and very helpful when we asked for order recommendations. However, I was told they no longer offer afternoon tea where you can have a selection of scones and sandwiches. They have a small dessert menu and a supper menu instead. The sweet potato flan was delicious - the sorbet that came with it was a bit flavorless and had a strange texture, but the flan itself was fabulous. I also had the lavender oolong tea, which was refreshing. I would definitely come back here just for the tea and desserts.
Stephanie D.
3.5 stars. I generally do not knock off stars based on pricing, but in this case I will. As of November 2018, high tea is served only on Sundays, from 3-4pm, at a price of $65 per head for 3 courses (scones, savories, and sweets) and only ONE pot of tea per person. A second pot of tea goes at the menu price when I thought it would be free, because when I was in England, our second tea selections were free. So at the end of the evening, with tip and tax, I paid $95 for high tea. I made a reservation over the phone, and a credit card was required, because they will charge you if your party does not show. I went with two other women, and we were seated in comfortable chairs at two tables pushed together. For larger party sizes, there is a table for 8, but all the other tables are usually for 2-4 people. The ambiance is not fussy or frilly. We were not rushed, and leisurely sipped our tea and talked from 3pm to 5:30pm. TEA: Not all the teas on their extensive tea menu is on the high tea menu at the $65 price (which is understandable since some of their teas are more expensive). I read the extensive tea menu for the menu descriptions and then made my choices. FOOD: We were served our food on trays (they no longer do the buffet option I saw on other reviews and photos). The food was delicious and we were all full afterward and skipped our dinners in the evening. We were kind of expecting tea sandwiches, but we got sliders, salads, and bluefish pate instead. This place doesn't really give you an English high tea experience if that's what you're looking for.
Wendy W.
The Park Hyatt is located on a quiet tree lined neighborhood in Georgetown. Walking into the hotel, there is a sense of serenity and modernity in its sleek designs. I am unsure (and admittedly still unsure) of the difference between the Tea Cellar and the Blue Duck Tavern Lounge as both seem to be located in the same area. To the right of the front desk (while facing the front desk) are glass display cases featuring different teas. Then there is a room with a bar, low sitting armchairs, and a semi-enclosed glass room with a table and chairs. The tea menu was extensive, featuring a wide range of selections. We were disappointed that the server was not knowledgeable about any of the teas but understood that it may be because we were there on a Sunday at 9pm. Prior to our visit, it was incredibly difficult to obtain information about the Tea Cellar. The information on the Park Hyatt website provides basic information and information in older Yelp reviews are now outdated. As of October 2018, this is what is now offered: Afternoon tea service is only available on Sundays between 2:00pm-4:00pm at $55 for 3 courses (buffet is no longer available). Tea is available from 2:00pm-12:30am and range from $8-300 for a pot of tea. For food, we were offered the full Blue Duck Tavern dinner menu. Overall, the Park Hyatt offers a marvelous setting to enjoy your tea. However, with its association to the Blue Duck Tavern, I was expecting much better service. We had to flag our server down for everything from refilling our water glass to ordering food. I also thought the Blue Duck Tavern menu was wholly inappropriate for a tea focused sitting area. While I do enjoy the food at Blue Duck Tavern, it is too heavy with tea.
Kayla H.
I came here with a group of about six ladies--it's actually been quite some time ago. We had a good experience; the atmosphere was nice and we had good seating for our group. The food was tasty, though nothing particularly spectacular. The tea selection was good. Overall, although I liked it, it has a fairly commercial vibe. When I go to "high tea" I prefer a more intimate space with a cozier, friendlier vibe. I wouldn't say no to going back, but if asked to pick a place for tea, I also wouldn't choose this place.
Sou M.
What a great experience at tea cellar :) My date and I had no-drinking resolutions and we were looking for a nice tea room south of dupont circle and tea cellar came up. We tried it and loved it so I took my friend there another time and we tried some noshes. Both times we enjoyed the experience overall. Also, Sainabou, served us both time and we loved her. There is an extensive menu for tea here. There prices range from $8-$300 for a cup of tea. They refill hot water per request. I tried something with rose petals in it. Next time, i ordered food from blue duck kitchen. They offer a limited menu before 5:30 pm. I tried the squash soup and my friend ordered turkey club sandwich. We both loved the food. They also serve complementary nuts at your table. The pistachios are tasty. On our way out, we passed by a big table of cheese and charcuterie. The chef offered to make us a complementary plate when he saw us checking it out and we didnt say no! ;) it was delicious! If you look for a nice and fancy place to sit for hours and you have a taste for tea, i highly recommend tea cellar.
Megan H.
I know... $50+ for tea. What!? Water, tea leaves, and (more than) a few bites of food! There's more to it, but first you have to set the scene properly with company who would find this production enjoyable. A leather book provides you with theatrically intense descriptions of tea. Teas up to $14 on the menu are included in the tea service, and if you want any selection over $14, you'll be billed the difference. I went with the Moonlight Litchi Blossom tea, because I love a good show and watching a dehydrated ball transform into an alien flower in my water is pretty much the highlight of my life these days. In terms of flavor, I liked this one mainly because it was naturally sweet enough so that I didn't feel the need to use additional sweetener. Once the excitement of hot pots of water being brought to the table subsides, a basket of scones and croissants along with jam, lemon curd, and clotted cream arrive. Yea, I dare you to try to avoid carbs during afternoon tea. Now that your plate is a freaking mess from the scone crumbs and shattered croissant flakes, cue the plate change intermission. It's about to get real now. Five types of bite-sized savory items are neatly arranged on a rectangular wood board - OCD friendly. My favorite of the set is the little Roquefort tart topped with a fig. MORE PLATE CHANGING. I feel bad for the dishwasher here. But onward, it's time for the sugar, if you're not already fatigued by everything else you've just consumed. The majority of this board is round and cute with the exception of the (comparably) towering opera cake. Silky chocolate ganache layered with sponge cake and coffee buttercream. I liked it. I like to sit in glass boxes and drink tea and eat cute things. I'm not here every weekend cus I've gotta save room for bottomless brunches and dim sum, but I'm here when I'm with company I want to impress or indulge.
L P.
What a waste of money. Great tea selection, but you are on your own with figuring out how long your tea has been steeping before reaching your table. For the price, nobody comes by to remove the extremely hot steeping basket from your teapot, so you need to pick up the metal basket yourself. Mind you there is no place to put the basket so you can either leave your serving plate a watery mess or place it on the table, leaving behind a puddle. Since you are not sure how long your tea has been steeping, you probably now have a whole pot of bitter tea. Now our server offered to hold onto our tea baskets to make room for our snacks, saying he would later return them when we wanted more tea. When we asked for more tea, they told us they threw it away without offering new tea. So two of us ended up with even less tea than our other friends who refused to get rid of their baskets. Most of the food was subpar besides the scones, croissants, mixed-berry jam, and clotted cream. I found it hilarious that they served us a sad cube of cheese with a tiny shave of salami on a toothpick.
Ashleigh R.
Go to TC for the tea. Want to sample some actual food from their menu? Eh, I'd skip on it. For a non-tea enthusiast like myself, dishing out $40+ for a single pot of tea and less than an hour worth of unlimited brunch samples was mediocre at best. I mean don't get me wrong, the tea was great and the bite-sized food samples were delicious, but do I think it's worth the hefty price tag? Nope, sorry. Now let me get into the nitty gritty... I ordered the Midnight Jasmine Blossom tea along with the unlimited brunch option. People, don't get too excited now. First, the unlimited brunch buffet closes at 4pm and is limited to a single island counter. I wish I would've taken a picture because it was quite underwhelming. Anyway, some of our options included quiche, one piece of shrimp, macarons, tiny curry pies, muffins, etc. You're better off eating something small and quick prior to visiting the Tea Cellar. Seriously. Despite my lack of appreciation for a hot pot of tea, I must say that this place would've been deserving of a 4-star rating had our waitress actually remembered to bring us the check! My friends and I were literally waiting for our waitress for a solid 30 minutes. She was nowhere to be found! Not only that, but when we finally managed to track someone down, there were no apologies for the delay.
H. J.
Tea: high quality tea which is probably good after 3-4 refills in the pot, worth getting. Food: for $45/person, I expect alot more choices than just 5 different kinds of dessert choices and 5 different non-dessert choices (oysters, Deviled eggs, lobster sandwiches, chk salad wrap and butter squash tart). The Oysters were put out 6 at once, even tho they fill up whenever it is empty, but I have to watch for it, otherwise someone would have taken them. The bacon on top of the lobster sandwiches were cold and NOT crispy, I felt like eating a fatty piece of pork and the flavor was very over powering. The other 3 choices were ok.. nothing special about them. When it was time for last call, the oysters were not even brought back up again... lame! Service: I had to flag down the waitress to get my water refilled after waiting for her to notice for 15 minutes. Also had to flat her down to get our tea pots refilled. Not impressed with the service as others have. Overall, I think this place is over-rated for their high tea, especially for $45/person high tea. Would like more choices for food, faster refill and better service. Probably going to cross this place off from my high tea places..
Allen M.
There really is nothing better than unwinding with an excellent cup of tea. But when you want a great cup, where is there to go? What if you want to try a truly unique something unique? It's rare to be able to say any place is definitively the best, but in this case the answer is clear. There is truly no better place to enjoy tea than the Tea Cellar at Blue Duck Tavern. Here is why: First of all, Blue Duck Tavern is excellent on it's own, so I'll skip over the part about how comfortable and nice the space is...there are other reviews for that. Lets start with the tea menu. To say it is extensive would be an understatement...we aren't talking Liptons here. If you want a vintage tea from 1949 you can actually get it at the Tea Cellar...yeah, I didn't know that was possible either. I guess that's what happens when the menu is 12 pages long. The service in The Tea Cellar is separate from the main dining room at Blue Duck and they have a sommelier of sorts that seems to know everything about the most obscure leafs in their collection. Inevitably it will be exactly what you want. I don't like floral teas, so I went with a 1978 Cave Aged Pu-Erh. It was awesome and totally different than anything I have ever had in my entire life. They bring out the tea out in a glass tea pot, which sits on top of a warming tray. This is particularly cool because even if you sit there for two hours your tea will be kept at the perfect temperature. And you WILL want to sit there all afternoon. If you want, you can participate in afternoon tea. They have various high-tea pastries and delicacies, but if you want my advice...skip that part. If you ask nicely, they will let you order something off of the main Blue Duck menu. Obviously this is the way to go...who can say no to a chicken-biscuit, duck-fat fries and their infamous apple pie. Here's my advice: Make a reservation early because the cellar fills up quick. Pick something unique and have a truly memorable experience. 5 Stars.
A fortress of solitude for the sophisticated tea nerd. Usually when I think of tea, I imagine white-haired British ladies in an array of colorful hats, gossiping in loud voices over cups of mismatched floral teacups and crumpets. The Tea Cellar is the exact opposite of this vision. It's quiet and refined with lots of dark wood, white marble, and a giant glass humidor that they use to store, display, and age tea. And what a tea selection they have! From a fruity melon tea from the island of Majorca (my husband's favorite) to a $300 pu-erh which was only described as being "hand-carried out of China after years of negotiation." There was even a free show! The moonlight litchi which came to us in a beautiful glass teapot blossomed into a giant flower, being held with one piece of silk thread. It was absolutely gorgeous. The tea menu is a bit intimidating with their pages upon pages of writing on it -- our server who was basically a walking tea encyclopedia broke it down for us in an easy to understand format. Kudos to him! On Saturday and Sunday, the Tea Cellar offers an afternoon tea for $45 per person which comes with your selection of tea and a buffet of sweets and savories to whet your appetite such as pumpkin tarts, lobster tea sandwiches, chicken salad roll ups, oysters, macarons, cheesecake, creampuffs, etc. I was not too big of a fan of the savory selection (I'm a picky eater in general) but I definitely got my money's worth in the sugar department. The cheesecake was one of the best I ever had and the berry scones were absolutely perfect. I'm a big fan of clotted cream and feel like other places in town do not ever give you enough so I was happy that I had a whole buffet of clotted cream to myself. It's a big pricey for what you receive but this is definitely a place for a special occasion! They are also open late at night for those looking for a place to sit and talk with a friend but maybe are not interested in cocktails.
Belle D.
I am in love with this place! *Thank you Kimberly Santos, for letting us take part in the event!** I have a passion for all hot teas and afternoon tea delectables. This place is such a treat! It is not your typical sit down and wait for the tea service to bring you your crudités and desserts.. It's a buffet! So load up on your oysters, chicken salad rolled in cabbage leaves, macrons, creme brûlée in a cup.. #ftw (for the win). Location - in the heart of DC, although getting here can be a challenge for not non-native DCs. Valet is a must, no self parking, $12. Venue - clean, sleek, like others have mentioned, it has a minimalist and simple feel. Very zen, and refreshing, but has a nice warm ambiance. We had a space kept to ourselves. Although I saw a lot of nice books for small parties, couples, get togethers, that would make it very enjoyable. Service - superb! I mean, kudos to the valet service, to the host who greeted us, down to the tea service water who took care of us. I have to give much props to the valet guy who was so graciously kind and gave my little toddler a stuffed panda bear *heartfelt thanks* Price - totally worth my $45! AND ITS BUFFET, did I mentioned that yet? So, sorry Ritz Carlton, Park Hyatt's got you beat. Overall, yes, definitely coming back here, hopefully for my birthday! Enjoy Yelpers and non-Yelpers!
H. G.
I went to the Tea Cellar for a holiday tea with some girlfriends. I thought the selection of the buffet was just ok - for savory options, there were mini lobster rolls, tiny lettuce chicken salad wraps, little butternut squash and bacon tartlets, and fresh oysters (so note to vegetarians - nothing for you, savory-wise). There was a better variety of sweet options - several little tarts, pastries, cookies, scones and macarons, and those were what really shined, as they were all delicious. The problem was that it was not well stocked - the first time we approached the buffet, there were no oysters or lobster rolls; those were replenished several minutes after we'd finished filling our plates and had sat back down. There was also only marmalade with the scones - no clotted cream or lemon curd as you would expect with your tea. We and several other tables were asking about that, and the cream and lemon curd was finally put out around 30 minutes later, but once it was out, there were no more plain scones. So while I definitely didn't leave hungry, it led to a bit of a hectic atmosphere with us having to repeatedly jump up and head back to the buffet when something was finally put out, rather than just filling one plate and being done with it. Which brings me to the seating...My chair was a low, swiveling arm chair type chair, and it was extremely difficult to push it back to get up from the table without knocking into the table, and then to scoot it in when sitting back down. We also had a problem with our tea - the pots were delivered and we were instructed to let them steep for three minutes. When we then poured, we all discovered that the water was only tepid. By the time our pots were replaced with water that was actually hot, we'd already been there for over 1/2 an hour (though the tea, when we finally got it, was delicious). So while enjoyable it wasn't really the relaxing tea experience we'd hoped for, and especially for the price (it's interesting that there are reviews from just a few weeks ago stating that the price of the buffet is $45; it must have recently increased as we were charged $50 each, plus tip, so I paid $60 total for a few cups of tea and a plate of snacks) I would probably try somewhere else the next time. If you do go for the buffet, I would definitely recommend a reservation on the earlier side - ours was at 3, and because they were a little slow in taking our orders, and of course the snafu with the tea, and issues with replenishing the buffet, we also felt rushed as the buffet ends at 4.
Chii T.
Find a new place to burn more money in the afternoon in DC! Since Mandarin no longer serves tea buffet, tea cellar is the only one left. $45 per person. Not bad. This is a nice place to have just tea. I like the blossom tea. See pics.
Zee A.
The only reason give the Tea Cellar 4 stars is because the chairs are uncomfortable for (buffet style) tea. Wasn't a coincidence when my daughter, then the neighboring couple complained the chairs were hard to get up and push away from the table to go help yourself with the buffet offerings. Which brings me to the buffet. Excellent variety of delicacies perfectly portioned in an array of palate teasing displays. I noticed most people spied the selection in awe a moment or two before selecting. I've been there 4 times now and the chefs change the sweets and savories to ensure your return to afternoon tea bliss.
The vibe here is great for an early evening date or hangout with a friend - it's really aesthetically appealing. Great tea selection. Our waiter was awesome and very helpful when we asked for order recommendations. However, I was told they no longer offer afternoon tea where you can have a selection of scones and sandwiches. They have a small dessert menu and a supper menu instead. The sweet potato flan was delicious - the sorbet that came with it was a bit flavorless and had a strange texture, but the flan itself was fabulous. I also had the lavender oolong tea, which was refreshing. I would definitely come back here just for the tea and desserts.
3.5 stars. I generally do not knock off stars based on pricing, but in this case I will. As of November 2018, high tea is served only on Sundays, from 3-4pm, at a price of $65 per head for 3 courses (scones, savories, and sweets) and only ONE pot of tea per person. A second pot of tea goes at the menu price when I thought it would be free, because when I was in England, our second tea selections were free. So at the end of the evening, with tip and tax, I paid $95 for high tea. I made a reservation over the phone, and a credit card was required, because they will charge you if your party does not show. I went with two other women, and we were seated in comfortable chairs at two tables pushed together. For larger party sizes, there is a table for 8, but all the other tables are usually for 2-4 people. The ambiance is not fussy or frilly. We were not rushed, and leisurely sipped our tea and talked from 3pm to 5:30pm. TEA: Not all the teas on their extensive tea menu is on the high tea menu at the $65 price (which is understandable since some of their teas are more expensive). I read the extensive tea menu for the menu descriptions and then made my choices. FOOD: We were served our food on trays (they no longer do the buffet option I saw on other reviews and photos). The food was delicious and we were all full afterward and skipped our dinners in the evening. We were kind of expecting tea sandwiches, but we got sliders, salads, and bluefish pate instead. This place doesn't really give you an English high tea experience if that's what you're looking for.
The Park Hyatt is located on a quiet tree lined neighborhood in Georgetown. Walking into the hotel, there is a sense of serenity and modernity in its sleek designs. I am unsure (and admittedly still unsure) of the difference between the Tea Cellar and the Blue Duck Tavern Lounge as both seem to be located in the same area. To the right of the front desk (while facing the front desk) are glass display cases featuring different teas. Then there is a room with a bar, low sitting armchairs, and a semi-enclosed glass room with a table and chairs. The tea menu was extensive, featuring a wide range of selections. We were disappointed that the server was not knowledgeable about any of the teas but understood that it may be because we were there on a Sunday at 9pm. Prior to our visit, it was incredibly difficult to obtain information about the Tea Cellar. The information on the Park Hyatt website provides basic information and information in older Yelp reviews are now outdated. As of October 2018, this is what is now offered: Afternoon tea service is only available on Sundays between 2:00pm-4:00pm at $55 for 3 courses (buffet is no longer available). Tea is available from 2:00pm-12:30am and range from $8-300 for a pot of tea. For food, we were offered the full Blue Duck Tavern dinner menu. Overall, the Park Hyatt offers a marvelous setting to enjoy your tea. However, with its association to the Blue Duck Tavern, I was expecting much better service. We had to flag our server down for everything from refilling our water glass to ordering food. I also thought the Blue Duck Tavern menu was wholly inappropriate for a tea focused sitting area. While I do enjoy the food at Blue Duck Tavern, it is too heavy with tea.
I came here with a group of about six ladies--it's actually been quite some time ago. We had a good experience; the atmosphere was nice and we had good seating for our group. The food was tasty, though nothing particularly spectacular. The tea selection was good. Overall, although I liked it, it has a fairly commercial vibe. When I go to "high tea" I prefer a more intimate space with a cozier, friendlier vibe. I wouldn't say no to going back, but if asked to pick a place for tea, I also wouldn't choose this place.
What a great experience at tea cellar :) My date and I had no-drinking resolutions and we were looking for a nice tea room south of dupont circle and tea cellar came up. We tried it and loved it so I took my friend there another time and we tried some noshes. Both times we enjoyed the experience overall. Also, Sainabou, served us both time and we loved her. There is an extensive menu for tea here. There prices range from $8-$300 for a cup of tea. They refill hot water per request. I tried something with rose petals in it. Next time, i ordered food from blue duck kitchen. They offer a limited menu before 5:30 pm. I tried the squash soup and my friend ordered turkey club sandwich. We both loved the food. They also serve complementary nuts at your table. The pistachios are tasty. On our way out, we passed by a big table of cheese and charcuterie. The chef offered to make us a complementary plate when he saw us checking it out and we didnt say no! ;) it was delicious! If you look for a nice and fancy place to sit for hours and you have a taste for tea, i highly recommend tea cellar.
I know... $50+ for tea. What!? Water, tea leaves, and (more than) a few bites of food! There's more to it, but first you have to set the scene properly with company who would find this production enjoyable. A leather book provides you with theatrically intense descriptions of tea. Teas up to $14 on the menu are included in the tea service, and if you want any selection over $14, you'll be billed the difference. I went with the Moonlight Litchi Blossom tea, because I love a good show and watching a dehydrated ball transform into an alien flower in my water is pretty much the highlight of my life these days. In terms of flavor, I liked this one mainly because it was naturally sweet enough so that I didn't feel the need to use additional sweetener. Once the excitement of hot pots of water being brought to the table subsides, a basket of scones and croissants along with jam, lemon curd, and clotted cream arrive. Yea, I dare you to try to avoid carbs during afternoon tea. Now that your plate is a freaking mess from the scone crumbs and shattered croissant flakes, cue the plate change intermission. It's about to get real now. Five types of bite-sized savory items are neatly arranged on a rectangular wood board - OCD friendly. My favorite of the set is the little Roquefort tart topped with a fig. MORE PLATE CHANGING. I feel bad for the dishwasher here. But onward, it's time for the sugar, if you're not already fatigued by everything else you've just consumed. The majority of this board is round and cute with the exception of the (comparably) towering opera cake. Silky chocolate ganache layered with sponge cake and coffee buttercream. I liked it. I like to sit in glass boxes and drink tea and eat cute things. I'm not here every weekend cus I've gotta save room for bottomless brunches and dim sum, but I'm here when I'm with company I want to impress or indulge.
What a waste of money. Great tea selection, but you are on your own with figuring out how long your tea has been steeping before reaching your table. For the price, nobody comes by to remove the extremely hot steeping basket from your teapot, so you need to pick up the metal basket yourself. Mind you there is no place to put the basket so you can either leave your serving plate a watery mess or place it on the table, leaving behind a puddle. Since you are not sure how long your tea has been steeping, you probably now have a whole pot of bitter tea. Now our server offered to hold onto our tea baskets to make room for our snacks, saying he would later return them when we wanted more tea. When we asked for more tea, they told us they threw it away without offering new tea. So two of us ended up with even less tea than our other friends who refused to get rid of their baskets. Most of the food was subpar besides the scones, croissants, mixed-berry jam, and clotted cream. I found it hilarious that they served us a sad cube of cheese with a tiny shave of salami on a toothpick.
Go to TC for the tea. Want to sample some actual food from their menu? Eh, I'd skip on it. For a non-tea enthusiast like myself, dishing out $40+ for a single pot of tea and less than an hour worth of unlimited brunch samples was mediocre at best. I mean don't get me wrong, the tea was great and the bite-sized food samples were delicious, but do I think it's worth the hefty price tag? Nope, sorry. Now let me get into the nitty gritty... I ordered the Midnight Jasmine Blossom tea along with the unlimited brunch option. People, don't get too excited now. First, the unlimited brunch buffet closes at 4pm and is limited to a single island counter. I wish I would've taken a picture because it was quite underwhelming. Anyway, some of our options included quiche, one piece of shrimp, macarons, tiny curry pies, muffins, etc. You're better off eating something small and quick prior to visiting the Tea Cellar. Seriously. Despite my lack of appreciation for a hot pot of tea, I must say that this place would've been deserving of a 4-star rating had our waitress actually remembered to bring us the check! My friends and I were literally waiting for our waitress for a solid 30 minutes. She was nowhere to be found! Not only that, but when we finally managed to track someone down, there were no apologies for the delay.
Tea: high quality tea which is probably good after 3-4 refills in the pot, worth getting. Food: for $45/person, I expect alot more choices than just 5 different kinds of dessert choices and 5 different non-dessert choices (oysters, Deviled eggs, lobster sandwiches, chk salad wrap and butter squash tart). The Oysters were put out 6 at once, even tho they fill up whenever it is empty, but I have to watch for it, otherwise someone would have taken them. The bacon on top of the lobster sandwiches were cold and NOT crispy, I felt like eating a fatty piece of pork and the flavor was very over powering. The other 3 choices were ok.. nothing special about them. When it was time for last call, the oysters were not even brought back up again... lame! Service: I had to flag down the waitress to get my water refilled after waiting for her to notice for 15 minutes. Also had to flat her down to get our tea pots refilled. Not impressed with the service as others have. Overall, I think this place is over-rated for their high tea, especially for $45/person high tea. Would like more choices for food, faster refill and better service. Probably going to cross this place off from my high tea places..
There really is nothing better than unwinding with an excellent cup of tea. But when you want a great cup, where is there to go? What if you want to try a truly unique something unique? It's rare to be able to say any place is definitively the best, but in this case the answer is clear. There is truly no better place to enjoy tea than the Tea Cellar at Blue Duck Tavern. Here is why: First of all, Blue Duck Tavern is excellent on it's own, so I'll skip over the part about how comfortable and nice the space is...there are other reviews for that. Lets start with the tea menu. To say it is extensive would be an understatement...we aren't talking Liptons here. If you want a vintage tea from 1949 you can actually get it at the Tea Cellar...yeah, I didn't know that was possible either. I guess that's what happens when the menu is 12 pages long. The service in The Tea Cellar is separate from the main dining room at Blue Duck and they have a sommelier of sorts that seems to know everything about the most obscure leafs in their collection. Inevitably it will be exactly what you want. I don't like floral teas, so I went with a 1978 Cave Aged Pu-Erh. It was awesome and totally different than anything I have ever had in my entire life. They bring out the tea out in a glass tea pot, which sits on top of a warming tray. This is particularly cool because even if you sit there for two hours your tea will be kept at the perfect temperature. And you WILL want to sit there all afternoon. If you want, you can participate in afternoon tea. They have various high-tea pastries and delicacies, but if you want my advice...skip that part. If you ask nicely, they will let you order something off of the main Blue Duck menu. Obviously this is the way to go...who can say no to a chicken-biscuit, duck-fat fries and their infamous apple pie. Here's my advice: Make a reservation early because the cellar fills up quick. Pick something unique and have a truly memorable experience. 5 Stars.
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A fortress of solitude for the sophisticated tea nerd. Usually when I think of tea, I imagine white-haired British ladies in an array of colorful hats, gossiping in loud voices over cups of mismatched floral teacups and crumpets. The Tea Cellar is the exact opposite of this vision. It's quiet and refined with lots of dark wood, white marble, and a giant glass humidor that they use to store, display, and age tea. And what a tea selection they have! From a fruity melon tea from the island of Majorca (my husband's favorite) to a $300 pu-erh which was only described as being "hand-carried out of China after years of negotiation." There was even a free show! The moonlight litchi which came to us in a beautiful glass teapot blossomed into a giant flower, being held with one piece of silk thread. It was absolutely gorgeous. The tea menu is a bit intimidating with their pages upon pages of writing on it -- our server who was basically a walking tea encyclopedia broke it down for us in an easy to understand format. Kudos to him! On Saturday and Sunday, the Tea Cellar offers an afternoon tea for $45 per person which comes with your selection of tea and a buffet of sweets and savories to whet your appetite such as pumpkin tarts, lobster tea sandwiches, chicken salad roll ups, oysters, macarons, cheesecake, creampuffs, etc. I was not too big of a fan of the savory selection (I'm a picky eater in general) but I definitely got my money's worth in the sugar department. The cheesecake was one of the best I ever had and the berry scones were absolutely perfect. I'm a big fan of clotted cream and feel like other places in town do not ever give you enough so I was happy that I had a whole buffet of clotted cream to myself. It's a big pricey for what you receive but this is definitely a place for a special occasion! They are also open late at night for those looking for a place to sit and talk with a friend but maybe are not interested in cocktails.
I am in love with this place! *Thank you Kimberly Santos, for letting us take part in the event!** I have a passion for all hot teas and afternoon tea delectables. This place is such a treat! It is not your typical sit down and wait for the tea service to bring you your crudités and desserts.. It's a buffet! So load up on your oysters, chicken salad rolled in cabbage leaves, macrons, creme brûlée in a cup.. #ftw (for the win). Location - in the heart of DC, although getting here can be a challenge for not non-native DCs. Valet is a must, no self parking, $12. Venue - clean, sleek, like others have mentioned, it has a minimalist and simple feel. Very zen, and refreshing, but has a nice warm ambiance. We had a space kept to ourselves. Although I saw a lot of nice books for small parties, couples, get togethers, that would make it very enjoyable. Service - superb! I mean, kudos to the valet service, to the host who greeted us, down to the tea service water who took care of us. I have to give much props to the valet guy who was so graciously kind and gave my little toddler a stuffed panda bear *heartfelt thanks* Price - totally worth my $45! AND ITS BUFFET, did I mentioned that yet? So, sorry Ritz Carlton, Park Hyatt's got you beat. Overall, yes, definitely coming back here, hopefully for my birthday! Enjoy Yelpers and non-Yelpers!
I went to the Tea Cellar for a holiday tea with some girlfriends. I thought the selection of the buffet was just ok - for savory options, there were mini lobster rolls, tiny lettuce chicken salad wraps, little butternut squash and bacon tartlets, and fresh oysters (so note to vegetarians - nothing for you, savory-wise). There was a better variety of sweet options - several little tarts, pastries, cookies, scones and macarons, and those were what really shined, as they were all delicious. The problem was that it was not well stocked - the first time we approached the buffet, there were no oysters or lobster rolls; those were replenished several minutes after we'd finished filling our plates and had sat back down. There was also only marmalade with the scones - no clotted cream or lemon curd as you would expect with your tea. We and several other tables were asking about that, and the cream and lemon curd was finally put out around 30 minutes later, but once it was out, there were no more plain scones. So while I definitely didn't leave hungry, it led to a bit of a hectic atmosphere with us having to repeatedly jump up and head back to the buffet when something was finally put out, rather than just filling one plate and being done with it. Which brings me to the seating...My chair was a low, swiveling arm chair type chair, and it was extremely difficult to push it back to get up from the table without knocking into the table, and then to scoot it in when sitting back down. We also had a problem with our tea - the pots were delivered and we were instructed to let them steep for three minutes. When we then poured, we all discovered that the water was only tepid. By the time our pots were replaced with water that was actually hot, we'd already been there for over 1/2 an hour (though the tea, when we finally got it, was delicious). So while enjoyable it wasn't really the relaxing tea experience we'd hoped for, and especially for the price (it's interesting that there are reviews from just a few weeks ago stating that the price of the buffet is $45; it must have recently increased as we were charged $50 each, plus tip, so I paid $60 total for a few cups of tea and a plate of snacks) I would probably try somewhere else the next time. If you do go for the buffet, I would definitely recommend a reservation on the earlier side - ours was at 3, and because they were a little slow in taking our orders, and of course the snafu with the tea, and issues with replenishing the buffet, we also felt rushed as the buffet ends at 4.
Find a new place to burn more money in the afternoon in DC! Since Mandarin no longer serves tea buffet, tea cellar is the only one left. $45 per person. Not bad. This is a nice place to have just tea. I like the blossom tea. See pics.
The only reason give the Tea Cellar 4 stars is because the chairs are uncomfortable for (buffet style) tea. Wasn't a coincidence when my daughter, then the neighboring couple complained the chairs were hard to get up and push away from the table to go help yourself with the buffet offerings. Which brings me to the buffet. Excellent variety of delicacies perfectly portioned in an array of palate teasing displays. I noticed most people spied the selection in awe a moment or two before selecting. I've been there 4 times now and the chefs change the sweets and savories to ensure your return to afternoon tea bliss.