The food quality was not great and the cost of the mother's day brunch was not worth it. I would never recommend this place to anyone for tea at this price. The sandwiches were falling apart, one of the waiters (a young guy) was rude and the scones were hard and dry. The tea was the only good aspect of it. The hotel staff were outstanding and very nice/friendly - they get 5 stars not the restaurant.
Stanwhjr
Excellent food at our Afternoon Tea and well worth waiting for as service a bit "at a pace," but then on the particular occasion we were in no hurry anyway. Lovely dining space, and tho' the restaurant was quite busy with Mother's Day patrons the noise level was surprisingly quiet. This was our first visit to the Tavern at Henley Park but I'd return for the tea service or to try the regular menu.
Excelent serice. Secluded and quiet atmosphere, perfect for an afternoon tea. Very good appetizer and the Jasmine tea was delicious. From a price perspective it's on the higher end however counting the service and experience, it was exactly what we were looking for. Thank you .
We were SO SO SO DISAPPOINTED. We made a reservation for 4 for afternoon tea. It was a weekday, and we deliberately chose a late time so as not to have too much time to kill before the theater, so we were not alarmed at first that the place was empty, but there was clearly a reason: the place is way past its prime. The food was AWFUL, the waiter was apathetic and unhelpful. He pressured us at the outset to get the more expensive option which included dessert even though we wanted to try the food first to see if we would want dessert. The whipped cream was straight out of a can of Reddi-Whip, the dessert was inedible, the sandwiches were stale, the portions were tiny and when we asked if there were any more food coming, we were informed that we would have to pay extra. So we declined, settled our bill and left. When I called the next day to tell the manager about how disappointed we were, he basically said too bad, so sad. Quelle déception! Deception in English too, advertised as a luxurious experience, it was anything but, and at $60 per person, we paid nearly $300 with tax and obligatory tip for a meal that left us all hungry and frankly disgusted. The petit fours were oily, inedible. The mini-bundt cakes were not fresh, and the icing in them were sickly-sweet (also oily, not creamy). The tea was served lukewarm, never refilled and in cheap teapots that spilled hot water all over everyone who tried to use them, and the waiter didn't even bring cream for tea until pressed, and basically refused to bring cream to my kids who ordered infusions telling them they wouldn't like it served that way. The only nice part of the meal were the scones, which were hot, but they really had no particular flavor and the clotted cream, which for my kids is the whole point of a cream tea, came in 1 tiny thimble for all 4 of us; it was like pulling teeth to get a refill of that, as well. No butter, no jam, no-frills, no fun.
This is a review for the royal tea service. I paid $60 for stale bread used for three sandwiches, some petit fors and dessert pieces like a macaron, and 2 scones. Honestly, the macaron from Costco is much tastier. The sandwiches are not even worth mentioning they were so bad. There was hope for the scones because they were made in house and warm. But alas, no flavor. And the clotted cream was just a whipped cream confection of some sort. The service was unattentive. The two guys were loudly arguing about something for a woman who requested something. The room where the tea was held is so dated but it looked to be clean. Uninspired, not tasty in any sense of the word, utterly lacking and sadly disappointing.
NinaP
Worst afternoon tea ever. Hard , stale bread. Couldn't tell what was on some of the sandwiches. Bought macaroon, chocolate. The scones were the only thing that tasted homemade and was good. And also price on the high side. Upsetting
NicoleF
Sad to say I was totally unimpressed. For High Tea at a fine hotel, I was expecting something special. What I did not like: plastic flowers everywhere (really?), berries with whipped cream out of a can (really? can't we put some effort into this?), 'flavored' teas, which really just means crappy tea with fake flavorings, small sandwiches with hardened crusts (indicating they had been made the day before). The list goes on. I thought I was treating my mother to a very special experience, but for $160 we could have gone elsewhere. I will not be returning.
Liz Hagen
I went with a group of 4 to afternoon tea at Henley Park. Unfortunately, the tea itself was horrible. I ordered a tea that I actually have at home - Paris Tea by Harney & Sons. I don’t know if the water wasn’t hot enough or if only using one tea bag for a pot of tea was the problem, but the tea tasted so watered down. The atmosphere is pretty good, and the service was good, but I wouldn’t recommend this place for afternoon tea.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
MaryH
Thoroughly enjoyed afternoon tea yesterday. Scones were delicious! Not to keen on the pastries provided with the Royal Tea, but overall an excellent value. Staff were friendly and accommodating.
michellem
Great server-Jamal, hope I spelled his name correctly, has been working there for many years. He was our bar server and then also for dinner. He set a wonderful tone for the entire evening. We had a nice table, not rushed and the food was delicious as always. Everyone in our party had something different, from Caesar salad to shrimp tacos to a full entree. No leftovers on our table! I highly recommend The Tavern on Henley. Always a treat to dine there when in the district.
I hope to never have to eat there again. Service was rude and rushed. I asked for a drink menu for wine. Server said red or white. I said white and he gave me 3 choices - no information and no menu or prices. One glass of cheap white wine was more than we pay for a bottle of good wine. If I had known the cost and quality, I would have by-passed. I had salmon that tasted and smelled fishy. No coffee offered. Before we sat down and opened the menu, we were asked to order. There were no other diners there. Can definitely see why.
Guest
There was a handicapping person with us. Not having a ramp made it very difficult for her to enter and leave. However, Staff were extremely helpful with this person. Access to valet parking would be a welcome addition.
JD007
Our visit for High Tea at the Henley Park was to mark two special occasions. I cannot state strongly enough how pleased I am that I chose the Henley as the atmosphere was calm and beautiful, and the tea and food were all quite delicious. Our server is what made our visit go from wonderful to excellent. He was so genuinely friendly and wanted to ensure our visit was nothing short of spectacular. The Henley really is quite a gem, and I recommend checking it out if you've not yet had the pleasure. jd
FOODISLOVE
I made reservations for me and my friend to have afternoon tea at 6:00 pm. The day of my reservation, I received a call from the restaurant inquiring if I was coming for tea or dinner. I confirmed for tea at 6 pm. When I arrived at the restaurant I was taken to my seat and our waiter told us that tea was over at 6pm. ? we were shocked and confused. The waiter said it was the computer's fault. I replied that a human had called me and did not mention the closing time at all. We were served tea and finger sandwiches to consume in 50 minutes. The staff served us but rushed us out because the restaurant closed at 7pm. We paid the preset fee of $65 per person but it was so not worth it. Fix your reservation system so that people can enjoy a real tea experience.
KellanH
What a great hidden gem! I took my mom here for Christmas tea and it was lovely. Nice quiet atmosphere in a beautiful glass enclosed atrium. The service was excellent. The food was great, especially the scones, and all for a much better price than some of the other teas in the DC area. I would highly recommend if you're looking for something fun to do with family or friends in the city.
The food quality was not great and the cost of the mother's day brunch was not worth it. I would never recommend this place to anyone for tea at this price. The sandwiches were falling apart, one of the waiters (a young guy) was rude and the scones were hard and dry. The tea was the only good aspect of it. The hotel staff were outstanding and very nice/friendly - they get 5 stars not the restaurant.
Excellent food at our Afternoon Tea and well worth waiting for as service a bit "at a pace," but then on the particular occasion we were in no hurry anyway. Lovely dining space, and tho' the restaurant was quite busy with Mother's Day patrons the noise level was surprisingly quiet. This was our first visit to the Tavern at Henley Park but I'd return for the tea service or to try the regular menu.
Excelent serice. Secluded and quiet atmosphere, perfect for an afternoon tea. Very good appetizer and the Jasmine tea was delicious. From a price perspective it's on the higher end however counting the service and experience, it was exactly what we were looking for. Thank you .
We were SO SO SO DISAPPOINTED. We made a reservation for 4 for afternoon tea. It was a weekday, and we deliberately chose a late time so as not to have too much time to kill before the theater, so we were not alarmed at first that the place was empty, but there was clearly a reason: the place is way past its prime. The food was AWFUL, the waiter was apathetic and unhelpful. He pressured us at the outset to get the more expensive option which included dessert even though we wanted to try the food first to see if we would want dessert. The whipped cream was straight out of a can of Reddi-Whip, the dessert was inedible, the sandwiches were stale, the portions were tiny and when we asked if there were any more food coming, we were informed that we would have to pay extra. So we declined, settled our bill and left. When I called the next day to tell the manager about how disappointed we were, he basically said too bad, so sad. Quelle déception! Deception in English too, advertised as a luxurious experience, it was anything but, and at $60 per person, we paid nearly $300 with tax and obligatory tip for a meal that left us all hungry and frankly disgusted. The petit fours were oily, inedible. The mini-bundt cakes were not fresh, and the icing in them were sickly-sweet (also oily, not creamy). The tea was served lukewarm, never refilled and in cheap teapots that spilled hot water all over everyone who tried to use them, and the waiter didn't even bring cream for tea until pressed, and basically refused to bring cream to my kids who ordered infusions telling them they wouldn't like it served that way. The only nice part of the meal were the scones, which were hot, but they really had no particular flavor and the clotted cream, which for my kids is the whole point of a cream tea, came in 1 tiny thimble for all 4 of us; it was like pulling teeth to get a refill of that, as well. No butter, no jam, no-frills, no fun.
This is a review for the royal tea service. I paid $60 for stale bread used for three sandwiches, some petit fors and dessert pieces like a macaron, and 2 scones. Honestly, the macaron from Costco is much tastier. The sandwiches are not even worth mentioning they were so bad. There was hope for the scones because they were made in house and warm. But alas, no flavor. And the clotted cream was just a whipped cream confection of some sort. The service was unattentive. The two guys were loudly arguing about something for a woman who requested something. The room where the tea was held is so dated but it looked to be clean. Uninspired, not tasty in any sense of the word, utterly lacking and sadly disappointing.
Worst afternoon tea ever. Hard , stale bread. Couldn't tell what was on some of the sandwiches. Bought macaroon, chocolate. The scones were the only thing that tasted homemade and was good. And also price on the high side. Upsetting
Sad to say I was totally unimpressed. For High Tea at a fine hotel, I was expecting something special. What I did not like: plastic flowers everywhere (really?), berries with whipped cream out of a can (really? can't we put some effort into this?), 'flavored' teas, which really just means crappy tea with fake flavorings, small sandwiches with hardened crusts (indicating they had been made the day before). The list goes on. I thought I was treating my mother to a very special experience, but for $160 we could have gone elsewhere. I will not be returning.
I went with a group of 4 to afternoon tea at Henley Park. Unfortunately, the tea itself was horrible. I ordered a tea that I actually have at home - Paris Tea by Harney & Sons. I don’t know if the water wasn’t hot enough or if only using one tea bag for a pot of tea was the problem, but the tea tasted so watered down. The atmosphere is pretty good, and the service was good, but I wouldn’t recommend this place for afternoon tea.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Thoroughly enjoyed afternoon tea yesterday. Scones were delicious! Not to keen on the pastries provided with the Royal Tea, but overall an excellent value. Staff were friendly and accommodating.
Great server-Jamal, hope I spelled his name correctly, has been working there for many years. He was our bar server and then also for dinner. He set a wonderful tone for the entire evening. We had a nice table, not rushed and the food was delicious as always. Everyone in our party had something different, from Caesar salad to shrimp tacos to a full entree. No leftovers on our table! I highly recommend The Tavern on Henley. Always a treat to dine there when in the district.
Restaurantji Recommends
I hope to never have to eat there again. Service was rude and rushed. I asked for a drink menu for wine. Server said red or white. I said white and he gave me 3 choices - no information and no menu or prices. One glass of cheap white wine was more than we pay for a bottle of good wine. If I had known the cost and quality, I would have by-passed. I had salmon that tasted and smelled fishy. No coffee offered. Before we sat down and opened the menu, we were asked to order. There were no other diners there. Can definitely see why.
There was a handicapping person with us. Not having a ramp made it very difficult for her to enter and leave. However, Staff were extremely helpful with this person. Access to valet parking would be a welcome addition.
Our visit for High Tea at the Henley Park was to mark two special occasions. I cannot state strongly enough how pleased I am that I chose the Henley as the atmosphere was calm and beautiful, and the tea and food were all quite delicious. Our server is what made our visit go from wonderful to excellent. He was so genuinely friendly and wanted to ensure our visit was nothing short of spectacular. The Henley really is quite a gem, and I recommend checking it out if you've not yet had the pleasure. jd
I made reservations for me and my friend to have afternoon tea at 6:00 pm. The day of my reservation, I received a call from the restaurant inquiring if I was coming for tea or dinner. I confirmed for tea at 6 pm. When I arrived at the restaurant I was taken to my seat and our waiter told us that tea was over at 6pm. ? we were shocked and confused. The waiter said it was the computer's fault. I replied that a human had called me and did not mention the closing time at all. We were served tea and finger sandwiches to consume in 50 minutes. The staff served us but rushed us out because the restaurant closed at 7pm. We paid the preset fee of $65 per person but it was so not worth it. Fix your reservation system so that people can enjoy a real tea experience.
What a great hidden gem! I took my mom here for Christmas tea and it was lovely. Nice quiet atmosphere in a beautiful glass enclosed atrium. The service was excellent. The food was great, especially the scones, and all for a much better price than some of the other teas in the DC area. I would highly recommend if you're looking for something fun to do with family or friends in the city.