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3,75

Based on 449 opinions finded in 2 websites

3.3Ambience3.8Cuisine3.3Service
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This is such a cute spot for tea! The menu was in a book and I thought that was so cute. The service was good and the food was really delicious as well. So fun!

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Amy S . 2024-08-12

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My daughter surprised me and took me to the Courtyard before we went to the MFA. The staff is impeccable as always, but the food had a bit to be desired this time. The lobster was ok, the salmon was bland and the scones (they used to give 4, now 2) were flavorless. The lemon curd was delicious. Hmmm, out of everything, the lemon curd was the best. For $77 a person, I just don't see us going back. But again, the STAFF is wonderful! Personable, helpful, and just great.

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Michele Bissonnette . 2024-08-09

MORE AT Google

The place is beautiful, the organization is impeccable! The food is very delicious and the tea too, they have a variety of different teas according to tastes and good quality. the sandwiches are very rich and varied. It is a plan for everyone, couples, friends and I even saw a father with his little daughter and I thought it was very cute. I recommend it 100% You have to book it in advance!

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Ana María Díaz . 2024-08-08

MORE AT Google

I came here to enjoy some afternoon tea on my mom’s birthday. The service was excellent and made us feel very welcomed. Both the staff and chef came by and wished us a happy birthday multiple times. I could not think of having a better experience. As for the food and tea selection, I would say it is decent. I mostly think I came here for the vibes. I would say that their tea selection is excellent. We had a party of three and tried three different teas and throughly enjoyed all of them.The finger savory sandwiches and petite fours were just ok. Some of the sweets were slightly too sweet for me.

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Nguyen . 2024-08-05

MORE AT Google

Omg! One of my new favorite places, makes you feel like you're royalty.

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yvette calderon . 2024-08-02

MORE AT Google

Overall it was nice but our server felt VERY rushed--this has happened to me the last two times I have been. For $72 PER PERSON for tea and some lovely small bites, you don't expect rush treatment. I love this idea and want to support the library but unfortunately would suggest people go elsewhere given the high price vs rushed experience. Silver Dove tearoom and I think at least one of the high end hotels also serve high tea. I will note that I dont think it was the server's fault -- the restaurant flips the tables and to have someone else seated within every 90 minutes which means servers are hovering over the check and clearing the table with you sitting there at the 75 minute mark (or picking up plates from earlier courses whether or not youre finished).

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Katherine Mize . 2024-07-29

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We loved the ambience and the place. However, the price I've seen on internet before making a reservation was $39.99. Imagine our surprise when we got a bill for $72 per person. We were also disappointed with a very sub par food served, especially for such a high price. The photos on the website show sandwiches with salmon and mini deserts like macarons among other things. In reality, a piece of bread with paper-thin piece of cucumber on it, and tasteless chopped "egg salad" sandwiches were served; out of 4 sandwiches, only one was delicious and as shown on the photo. Out of 3 desert pieces, two were just pieces of brownies of different broken shape. I suppose the good reviews I read were from previous years. What a shame!

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Galina Botvinnik . 2024-07-29

MORE AT Google

What a beautiful Saturday eve 💕 with elegant decor , delicious food and summer drinks 🍹! Anyone who is visiting Boston and love to read books with del food should def visit this place. I think Boston library is one of the most beautiful library in US.

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Deepti Gupta . 2024-07-21

MORE AT Google

Amazing cocktails and tea here. The Boston library is a treasure and to have a tea room inside is pretty sick. The character of the restaurant is amazing. My fiance had a cocktail and I had some tea and we were both really happy with what we got.

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Dylan Carkhuff . 2024-07-17

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After waiting far too long to be seated, I got put at the bar. I tried to order tea (I can’t drink much if any alcohol due to a health condition) and the guy at the bar rudely told me they can’t serve me tea right now, no stated reason. What? Just walked out because that’s ridiculous.

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Nolan Yoerger . 2024-07-14

MORE AT Google

Never step foot in the place!! Most unpleasant and rude individuals. Tried to charge us 50p for 4 more sugar sachets. Add it to our bill and thought we wouldn’t notice. Extremely dishonest. Call us animals when we left. More interested in money and working less than serving their customers. Avoid at all costs

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Anna B . 2024-07-10

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Honestly magical. Service was so considerate of dietary restrictions.

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Noah . 2024-06-30

MORE AT Google

Tea!!! Spectacular!! I had the meat pies, yum, yum!

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Elsa Pearce . 2024-06-29

MORE AT Google

My daughter (7) and I went for our second visit. Lovely as always with a special plate just for kids. We had a great time!

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Ann Marie Latella . 2024-06-25

MORE AT Google

The place is beautiful with a good ambiance, and the food and tea pairings are exceptional.

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Yoona Julia Jeong . 2024-06-21

MORE AT Google

One of the best afternoon teas we've been to in a beautiful location! This is a hidden gem inside the Boston Public Library, which we got to tour afterwards. The tea room overlooks the inner courtyard with the sculpture. The tea room is beautiful and feels very grand with the vaulted ceilings. The afternoon tea begins with soup and quinoa salad. We then moved on to the scones. They were soft on the inside and flaky and crunchy if the outside. The lemon curd was excellent. For our teas, we chose the Darjeeling and the Ras Chai latte. Both were amazing! The tea tower was excellent with prefect balance of savory and sweet items. We especially loved the curry chicken salad, smoked salmon and Maine lobster. From the petit fours, the pumpkin panna cotta was my favorite! We also really loved the Alfajores and cheesecake. Service was great! Everyone was very accommodating!

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Ana Marie Post . 2024-06-09

MORE AT Google

I brought my partner here for her birthday. The service was amazing and the food was very good. The atmosphere was fun and well-themed. The meal came in multiple courses, with an appetizer, tea, a scone, and a 3-tier with several different items on it. We liked everything except a little dessert that came in a cup and tasted like spiced dirt. Personally, I thought all the breads except the scone were stale, but my partner thought they were just a different texture than I was used to. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ In any case, we'll definitely be back when the menu changes.

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Ben Perlmutter . 2024-06-09

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Nice food, a few crisps & side salad was included with our wraps. We had chicken & bacon with mayo wrap and a Caesar salad wrap. Both were fresh.

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Madron G . 2024-05-24

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Service, food and drinks were all great

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Bryan Sikes . 2024-05-15

MORE AT Google

Visited St Ives for the day and came across this cute little place just away from the busy area. We had sandwiches which were delicious. The place is dog friendly which was great. The staff were welcoming and friendly. It even has a cute flower wall. I would recommend this place.

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D B . 2024-05-12

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Definitely worth the experience. Beautiful place, service was good. Remember to make reservations online. Pastries were a little sweet, tea was really good! We all ordered different tea and shared it. My favorite was probably the wedding blend and white peony.

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Aaliyah Ngoc Thao . 2024-05-05

MORE AT Google

A great little place just off Fore Street, the staff were really friendly and the cream tea was really good. It was well priced and very relaxed,

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Gavin U . 2024-04-28

MORE AT TripAdvisor

I never write any reviews but I had to write one for this place! It was all nice in the beginning! I took my friend there for her birthday brunch and our reservation was at 11:45am! We were 10 minutes late but they were fine with it! Everything went well and our server was great! At 1:05 , he let us know that our time was almost up when he brought us the receipt and we were aware of the 90 minutes rule! Still good so far! We were done eating, just sipping on our tea and we already paid ! Out of nowhere , this woman, I guess the manager, walked up to us and with a high pitched voice (where the whole room can hear her) asked us to leave and said she needed the table! Mind you, we are the only ones sitting in our rows where they are 4 more empty tables ! We told her that we were aware of our time and we were ready to leave and still she stays next to our table for another minute, looking at us and making us uncomfortable ! She didn’t approached any of the other people that were there way before us. She ruined the whole experience for my friend and I ! It was so embarrassing that our server had to rush to tell her that we were already aware of the time and that he already warned us. She got embarrassed and acted she was sorry to him , not to Us! It would have been a great experience if this old lady didn’t ruined it and pleased have her fix or clean her teeth! It was creepy when she was standing there smiling at us ! My first experience with veiled racism!

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thomas woodlynn . 2024-04-27

MORE AT Google

We came here for my birthday and it was simply devine! The food was amazing, the tea was delicious and the service was top notch! Definitely an experience that is worth the price!

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Emma Haselhuhn . 2024-04-25

MORE AT Google

Best coffee we have had in a cafe. Staff lovely and friendly. Good to have a dog friendly cafe. The wall of pink roses is quite a feature.

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Andrew T . 2024-04-25

MORE AT TripAdvisor

So, this is a classic Boston experience because the setting is so cool, ie Boston Public Library. However, other than the scone which is served as the first course, we thought the food in the tower was awful. The amuse bouche was awful as well. Everything tasted like it was pre-frozen. We booked for 3 but the table was for 2 so it was uncomfortable for the 3rd. Worth asking about if you are booking for 3. Now the pros: the tea room setting is very nice, servers were attentive and very friendly, and they fixed an error on the bill quickly.

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Trina Libby . 2024-04-22

MORE AT Google

“It’s inside the library!” You need to go into the library and take the gray stairs on your left, then go through the courtyard! I came here with my sister for my birthday vacation, and I would love to bring my family here again.

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Lynn Jackson . 2024-04-18

MORE AT Google

The food was fun and creative. Every bite was delicious! What a relaxing venue. The staff all conspire to make us feel valued and spoiled!

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Daphne Smith . 2024-04-11

MORE AT Google

Great tea and the savory selection was delicious! The sweet options were not as appealing. The only major negative was that we got the check after sitting for an hour (we had only been driving our tea for 40 min) and felt pressured to leave. Extremely steep price for being semi-rushed out.

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Golda Sinyavskiy . 2024-04-08

MORE AT Google

Cold, uninspiring, and mediocre food. Breads were soggy and everything tasted a bit stale. I cannot believe I paid $90 for this! The service was alright (felt kind of rushed) and the room itself is lovely, but it is absolutely not worth it.

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Diem Nguyen . 2024-04-08

MORE AT Google

A lovely place to have a traditional high tea experience in a great setting! The Boston Public Library is one of my favorite places in the city and the Courtyard Tea room is another reason to love it even more. I came here for my girlfriend’s birthday and in the reservation let them know the occasion. Every person, from the hostess, to the server, runners, and bussers all made sure to wish her a happy birthday as well as writing out a card that was placed on our table. They even placed us at the table in the window overlooking the library garden as well as bringing her a non-alcoholic champagne. They really went out of their way to make our experience and her birthday special. As for the tea and food, everything was amazing and would definitely recommend a visit! The Cozy Copley tea and the scones were a particular standout. Would definitely come again!

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Kieran Iapoce . 2024-04-07

MORE AT Google

I was visiting Boston for the first time. The high Tea shared with my friend at the Courtyard tea room was superb.

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Karen Bailey . 2024-04-06

MORE AT Google

It's a treat to have tea here. The space is lovely and the service was exemplary! The food was delicious, very fresh and tasty combinations. We were served salmon mousse and lobster salad small sandwiches that would have been superb had they been on a lighter bread. All the other tea sandwiches were fabulous (egg salad, cucumber, and a mini roast beef in Yorkshire pudding) Scone with Devonshire cream and lemon curd was great and desserts were scrumptious. Individual pots of tea from a varied selection of teas rounded out our meal. I particularly appreciated the tea service - generous, hot, warmed milk if you take milk, "one lump or two" 😉. Altogether a very nice time. A tad pricy compared to many but well worth it for a special time.

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Maryellen Funaro . 2024-03-28

MORE AT Google

I have been to several tea rooms in the Boston area and the Boston public Library tea room is still my favorite. It has the largest tea room and largest selection of food. I highly recommend this place if you can get reservations.

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Monika Tek . 2024-03-19

MORE AT Google

My friend and I were looking forward to this place and the afternoon tea. The room was so beautiful just as we had seen in a picture. The food was fine, especially the tea and scones were awesome! It was more than worth the price. The only thing we didn’t like was the staff’s time management. Please don’t get me wrong; all the waiters were very polite and friendly. However, it was a little disappointing that we had to rush at the end. Initially we were supposed to be given 90 minutes for the tea. After we were seated, we had to wait for quite a long time until the tea and the starter arrived. 15 minutes after the main dish arrived, a waiter came to us and told that they needed to start getting ready for the next group. Although we still had 15 or 20 minutes left, they started to clean the tables around us, which made the atmosphere less comfortable and made us feel like being pressured to finish and leave soon. We should be allowed to enjoy the tea full 90 minutes, or they should have served the dishes earlier if they really didn’t have time.

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Y F . 2024-03-17

MORE AT Google

Very disappointed, specifically when it comes to the cost. That is nowhere on their website.

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Joseph Hope-Hull . 2024-03-16

MORE AT Google

10/10 experience, such a boujee environment and food presentation! All of the food was yummy! I didn't think I would leave full, but I most definitely did! Loved the food tower! 🤩

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cam cameron . 2024-03-16

MORE AT Google

My friend came into Boston to visit and I wanted to treat her and took her to The Courtyard Tea Room. It was an amazing experience! It was her first time having formal tea like this and loved the environment. The food was amazing! It started with a quinoa salad and a cauliflower apple soup which was SOOOOOO GOOD! We both got the Cozy Cooley tea which was awesome on a slightly chilly day. We felt full at the end and were excited to hear that the menu changes every season. If you are looking for an awesome experience consider going here!

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Tony Giannotti . 2024-03-14

MORE AT Google

This place was lovely and so worth it. Such variety in the sandwiches and sweet treats (mini lobster rolls -- incredible!) and the service was wonderful. You had about 1.5 hrs to dine until the next set of timed reservations, which was plenty of time. A very fun experience in a lovely location.

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Emma Reading . 2024-03-13

MORE AT Google

Lovely setting, delicious food. Excellent service. Will definitely be back.

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Holly De Nike . 2024-02-26

MORE AT Google

Amazing and fun high tea experience. If you like tea and if you like libraries then this is the place for you. Great tea service. I love the high tea. There is an emotional comfort and recharge that comes from a quality tea service. The Courtyard Tea Room delivers and exceeds any expectations.

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John-William DeClaris . 2024-02-25

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My family was planning on a nice afternoon here, but unfortunately I have food allergies which I am not able to eat the items served due to cross contamination. I would have loved to just sit with my family and have a glass of wine as they ate ..but this facility was going to charge me $64 to just sit at a table with my family (I would have bought wine). That's just absolutely ridiculous

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Tricia Fazzino . 2024-02-16

MORE AT Google

Came here yesterday for the first time and it was beautiful. The tea room itself was very cozy and spacious. Service was amazing as well. The price was $64 per person and it came with a tea option, appetizer, and the 3 tier. I was pretty stuffed towards the middle tier, so I brought my desserts home. The earl grey teas were delicious. I would definitely come again for a fun. 9/10 great experience.

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Carita Sum . 2024-02-11

MORE AT Google

Great if you’re stopping by. Would not recommend doing an event here. Had my bridal shower here and I struggled getting in touch with the staff. For the amount charged the allotted time was not adequate. I was made aware of a hard stop weeks before my shower and at this point it was too late. The woman I was corresponding with never took her time following up with me either. The whole experience was disappointing.

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Joti Kaur . 2024-02-01

MORE AT Google

The MAP room was pretty neat. Some neat maps (theme) of Boston on the walls. Loved the repurposed decorations within the room. Drinks were good, food was ok. The main draw was the room and location (within the Boston library). Lots of traffic within this room from lookers and others going to the reservation ahead room, which made it kinda frustrating at times if your seated location wasn't ideal.

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Alicia Kearney (A.K.Explorah) . 2024-01-28

MORE AT Google

A memorable experience! Elegant and cozy environment, delicious food and outstanding service, especially because Rosie made us feel welcome and pampered the whole time! She is one of the reasons why we're coming back whenever we are in town again!

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Marluce Oliveira . 2024-01-21

MORE AT Google

It is not an eating experience It is a taste experience I feel with every bite same like Ratatouille movie : the feeling of mixing food Thanks Chef Thanks Maggie , who helped to secure a table without reservation - as I discovered the place without a plan She told me as there I’ll be a following reservation: so I will enjoy 90 minutes experience - I thought because I’m alone , I will stay less - but the vibes are great! Happy for the unplanned unprecedented tasting experience

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A M . 2024-01-14

MORE AT Google

Annual Christmas gathering for the elegant tea. Met a wonderful employee who helped us find our way out.

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Luann Sweeney . 2024-01-12

MORE AT Google

It's a beautiful venue, the service was excellent, the food was very good, creative, and substantial. We get better food at the Dunbar Tea Room on Cape Cod, but that's not a realistic alternative for most people who come to tea at the BPL.

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John Sgammato . 2024-01-09

MORE AT Google

The tea room was so cozy and charming, and the lighting in the room made it so welcoming. I truly enjoyed the Blue Flower Earl Grey I ordered, and the finger food tea cakes were delicious. My friend and I were still seated past the 1.5 hour window of the reservations that you needed to make, so they moved us, our tea, and our food tower to the bar in front of the entrance to the tea room so we could take our time. The location is a little hidden (immediately to the right, after coat check, there is a line to enter in on your scheduled window. But it is such a beautiful library. Once you walk out, the courtyard is on the right. Also, there are public bathrooms, and street parking available, although the parking for the library stated to be available, we didn't find/use it.

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Sandy Danko . 2024-01-06

MORE AT Google

Came here with my young daughter as a treat to both of us. The room is beautiful. But the experience can be sooo much better. Food. The food menu is pre-set. The only thing you can choose if the flavor of your tea. The food itself, a collection of sandwiches and sweets can be way better. I guess, fresh, flavorful and way less heavy is what we were expecting the food to be like. Although we mostly tasted and didn’t eat everything that was offered we both felt unwell after this meal. So, don’t go hungry. It’s not a culinary experience I would repeat or recommend. As my daughter put it: “You get what you get and you don’t get upset. Service: I imagined a relaxed atmosphere. Instead our very nice server was tending to a lot of tables which made it all feel rushed and “on the clock”, so much so that we didn’t feel we could ask questions about the food, the service, etc. The room is also very noisy as the high ceiling carry the sound of all the dinners. So, I would not come here for a romantic date, as you won’t be able to hear each other well. In the end, it was an interesting experience, but now that we saw what it included, we’re all good going to a regular tea room for a warm drink and cookies, as the price tag is not cheap either. Hope this helps the tea room management to: update the menu a bit (more vegetarian options), ensure the food is fresh, and the sweets can be way less sweet. But the tea was alright :).

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Vero Hall . 2023-12-28

MORE AT Google

A wonderful experience. Food and service is great. Fixed menu, but they will accommodate dietary concerns. The ambiance is great. Hardest part is securing a reservation- but definitely worth the effort.

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Namrata Trehan . 2023-12-22

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OMG! That's it! Lol Compliments to the chef! The teas and cocktails are amazing! Excellent service!

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Georgia Panagiotakos . 2023-12-20

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Everything was amazing, well worth the wait!

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Jazmine Glasgow . 2023-12-16

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This was an absolutely amazing experience for my birthday! The staff was so helpful and attentive, answered our questions, and presented a wonderful tea service and menu!

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Sara Belcher . 2023-12-14

MORE AT Google

I have never had afternoon tea, nor have I ever been to England, but I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the Courtyard Tea Room. This would be a great spot for a date, birthday celebration, or a treat-yourself type of day. This place is reservation-only, and reservations are hard to come by, so plan ahead! When you arrive, you must check in your coat at the complimentary coat check down the hall. Then, you line up at the entrance until they let you in after confirming your reservation. There is a wide selection of complimentary tea with free refills. I got the Cozy Copley (Earl Grey), which was average, but that is expected given that refills are free. There are also sugar cubes if you prefer a sweeter cup. The seasonal soup was some sort of pumpkin soup that was very smooth and rich. The salad was a bed of quinoa with a yogurt sauce and some garnishes. I enjoyed both. The main event was a $64 tower of scones, savory bites, and petit fours. I enjoyed everything, but my favorites were the scones, peppered ricotta tart, and bacon pepita brittle pumpkin spice cupcake. I do think the price is worth it because I got full from this amount (probably also because I was drinking so much tea), and you are also paying for the experience of sitting in one of the prettiest buildings in Boston.

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Kimberly . 2023-12-10

MORE AT Google

Lovely afternoon. Worth a visit if you come to Boston. Book ahead

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Patricia Furey . 2023-12-10

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Had a good time here, the setting is lovely and the tea was delicious. I do wish we could have tried more kinds of tea. The food was good but perhaps because we went for a late afternoon seating, it didn't seem super fresh. Try to go in the morning. Overall, glad I had this experience. The menu does rotate and change often and they do ask about allergies both when booking online and before service.

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Natalie Koffarnus . 2023-12-09

MORE AT Google

Best gluten-free accommodations in the city possibly. My expectations were low, knowing that it would be tea sandwiches and pastries, but I got every single menu item substituted gluten free (tiny sandwiches, macaroons, you name it). There was no fuss, I just told the server and it was brought out and explained. Delicious too!

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Rachita Chaudhury . 2023-12-05

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What a fantastic experience. My daughter booked this as a birthday present and it was wonderful. She managed to get a reservation for one of the beautiful corner tables. We highly recommend adding the cocktail with brandy and mulled wine. All selections on the tea tray were delicious.

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JoMarie Farrell . 2023-11-20

MORE AT Google

Beautiful space with friendly attentive staff. The food is phenomenal for the price. Every bite is delicious and clearly meticulously made. The tea options are excellent and you drink as much as you want. Everything is already laid out for you, so all you do is enjoy. A truly unique upper crust/royal experience.

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Mike G. . 2023-11-12

MORE AT Google

Had afternoon tea, then walked amongst the books while listening to a pop up quartet

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Dawn Goodwin . 2023-11-11

MORE AT Google

it was so good, light and filling and very refreshing, would love to come again

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minx . 2023-11-09

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Went for an anniversary on Saturday brunch. We got seated immediately since we had a reservation. The service was excellent - the staff even wrote us a “happy anniversary” card! The tea was also wonderful, highly recommend the iron goddess, which was very authentic. The tea tower was a cool experience but wasn’t quite ~our cup of tea~. Overall, would recommend for the experience in Boston but not a place we’d likely frequent again.

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Ingrid H. . 2023-11-06

MORE AT Google

This is a very unique experience! The food was excellent, as was the service. The theme played through the entire meal. I'd love to go again with a group.

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Phil B . 2023-11-04

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The Courtyard Tea Room at the Boston Public Library is a hidden gem in Boston that adds a touch of elegant magic to your library visit. Nestled within the library's stunning courtyard, it's a must-try experience. While the tea selection may not be the largest, it's still diverse enough for most tea enthusiasts. The pastries and finger sandwiches served during the tea are surprisingly impressive, adding to the overall charm of the experience. The ambiance is unbeatable, with the library's grandeur and the intimate, elegant atmosphere of the tea room combining to create a unique and memorable setting. I particularly loved the menus cleverly hidden inside books, a thoughtful and elegant touch. What sets this tea room apart is the unhurried pace; you won't feel rushed, allowing you to savor the moment fully. Just a tip: dress up a bit in an elegant fashion for the occasion to match the refined atmosphere. In sum, a visit to the Courtyard Tea Room at the Boston Public Library is a must when you're in Boston. It's a delightful blend of history, culture, and culinary delights that promises an elegant and unforgettable experience. Take your time, enjoy the tea and treats, and soak in the enchanting and elegant ambiance of this library oasis.

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EZ . 2023-10-31

MORE AT Google

Charming place for a memorable experience. There was a varied array of flavors and the presentation was exquisite! Of course, the tea was perfect!

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Diego Vargas . 2023-10-28

MORE AT Google

Una bellissima esperienza! Molto raffinata ma sono comunque uscita a stomaco pieno. Troppo costosa però!

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Valeria Boano . 2023-10-26

MORE AT Google

Great overall experience. Wasn't blown away by anything if you've been to other afternoon tea's, especially abroad, but it's a very nice spot with good service and nice food as well. Petite fours left some to be desired, scones were great, savory sandwiches were nice.

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Dara Behjat . 2023-10-19

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It was a lovely experience. We got the best seat in the house right besides the window looking into the courtyard. I had the vanilla chai and it was delicious. My only struggle was pouting the tea into cup since it would drip down the pot and all over the table. The finger foods were delicious, it was a lot more filling than I expected so I suggest going hungry. Our server I believe was named Nelson, he was lovely and very professional and made great suggestions. Highly recommend this experience!

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Charlie Lucas . 2023-10-17

MORE AT Google

Seriously disappointed in this place. Made a reservation for their afternoon tea sitting which allotted a 90min window for food and drinks before they had to set up for the next session. This normally would be ample time to enjoy yourself, except we unfortunately were not served until 30 mins after we had been sat. Our table was completely passed over until I finally flagged down a server and explained that we were still waiting. By this time all other tables were already moving on to their main course. This delay meant we were rushed through the entirety of our stay, to the point of having to box up a good portion of our food at the end, while the staff tried to usher us out of the room. I mean seriously, mid-bite was given a box and told to take the food with us when we leave. I was also not aware that we were limited to a single choice of tea during our sitting. An apparent rule which our server failed to inform us of until after we had already ordered. When I requested a new pot of tea, I was then informed that ‘customers are usually only provided a single pot’. I have never been at a tea sitting where they limited the amount of tea you were allowed to order, and nowhere did I see this mentioned when booking. $65 for a single pot of tea, subpar food selections, and a 90min timer that starts ticking regardless of when the staff actually bothers to serve you? No thanks. The only saving grace of this entire experience was the room itself. It’s a beautiful space, and although only two tables actually overlook the courtyard, it offers a nice view. Overall I do not recommend this place if you are expecting a quality tea serving, or even just a relaxing afternoon. Would only suggest coming here if you’re just looking for a cute photo op - but even for that I would say there are several other tea house options in Boston, take your money elsewhere.

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Cait . 2023-10-09

MORE AT Google

Went for a birthday, they were exceptional. Took great care of us, explained everything in detail. Lovely experience, will be back!

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Sankaran Vaidheeswaran . 2023-09-27

MORE AT Google

Very enjoyable and relaxing experience. The prefect pair drink was amazing with matcha. Everything was beautiful. Chefs kiss.

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Hanh Nguyen . 2023-09-21

MORE AT Google

We experienced multiple delays and were twenty minutes late for our reservation, but they still seated us, and it was a fantastic experience.

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Alison Wellborn . 2023-09-18

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The experience includes a tea of your choice, a soup/salad, and a three-tiered tea sandwich/dessert tower. The cost is a bit steep for what you get ($64 a person), but the experience was enjoyable, and the staff were great.

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Grant Billings . 2023-09-11

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Lovely experience at the Boston public library tea room in June. They are usually booked out and hard to reserve weekends. Everyone must wait in line at the tea room entrance to be seated at the same seating time. A dishonest couple pretended to be hanging out at the map room lounge and cut in line right before us. Very upsetting as we all waited quite a bit and the check in staff did not notice, but our waitperson made it right shortly after. We were lucky to have the corner table with beautiful queen velvet high chair! First course of the tea service was perfect with soup and Burrata salad. But the finger sandwiches were little disappointing, especially lobster - very dry and seemed not freshly made. After tea, explore the grand staircase, bates hall and the courtyard. Only drawback is parking.

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jk k . 2023-09-10

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The place is great, the decor and the elegance was perfect. You pay $64 per person and you get the same food, there is a menu on the table only to see what you are going to it, not to choose dishes. My only complaint is the food contain too many sweet bites for my taste, I would exchange have of the sweet stuff for more snacks. Other than that everything was great.

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Manuel Rojas . 2023-09-05

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Such a great high tea. Excellent for celebratory events or just to have an elevated lunch with friends

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Ronnie Kassiff . 2023-09-04

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The tea party exceeded our expectations. The tea was delish and the presentation of our food was even better.

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Trayvia Williams . 2023-08-30

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I cannot say enough good things about my experience here. I came to celebrate my 60th birthday. I was greeted warmly and they had a card on the table, plus little chocolate birthday greetings on the dessert portion of the three-tier stand. It was so nice! All of the food was excellent! I cannot even choose one favourite…it was all great! I loved the Darjeeling tea, which isn’t easy to find. The service was outstanding! The ambience was perfect. I would return in a heartbeat! Thank you for making my day perfect!

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Anne Marie Clarke . 2023-08-29

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Everything was beautiful and delicious.

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Bonnie Scoullar . 2023-08-25

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This was my second time at the Courtyard Tea Room, and I came back for a reason! The ambience is beautiful and if you're lucky, you'll get a seat by the window overlooking the courtyard. Your menus are served as a placeholder in a hardcover book as a lovely touch. There are great variety of teas available, as well as wines, cocktails, and mocktails. The service is friendly and will replace your teapot if the tea gets cold. If you enjoy an afternoon tea experience this is a MUST!

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Mallory Joy . 2023-08-24

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Everything was absolutely delicious but the whole experience is a bit rushed.

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Josh Arenstam . 2023-08-22

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I was able to enjoy this while visiting my daughter in Boston. We had a great time!

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Melanie . 2023-08-21

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What an experience. Unlike anything I could’ve imagined. The atmosphere was pristine. Service was fantastic. Tea was great. Starter salad (burrata) and soup (celery soup) were some of the best dishes I’ve ever eaten. The sandwiches were great, some were stand out sandwich, while others ranked as average. The blueberry scones were impeccable and the desserts great, although we were so full we couldn’t finish the desserts. I told the server I’m a vegetarian and was given a separate plate of vegetarian sandwiches. A most do if you’re in Boston! Reservations are hard to get, but worth it.

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Megan Finelli . 2023-08-14

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We love afternoon teas, and we were so excited to find this spot! Great service. The perfect selection of teas. They also accommodated my gluten allergy. Highly recommend!!

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Laura Pascazio . 2023-08-08

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I was pleasantly surprised with our brunch tea party. The Copley tea was fantastic. I really enjoyed the burrata and celery soup. Between the cucumber sandwich and the lobster roll it was a toss up of which was the best. The location was clean, beautiful, and very special. Would highly recommend for a special occasion.

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Janelle Piercy . 2023-08-03

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This place is really just a photo-op. The food is not very good but the service is wonderful. Very quick and friendly. The tea sandwiches were very cold and hard. I assume all the food was pre-made and put in a fridge till service. I wouldn't go back.

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X. V. . 2023-07-31

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We waited for 10mins to be seated even though we made a reservation one month in advance. The atmosphere was great but the food was just ok. Service was a bit slow. Our reservation was 3:15pm and we didn’t have time to finish our food because the library was closing at 5.

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Lyra Lan . 2023-07-30

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Beautiful tearoom in the heart of the Boston Public Library. Fabulous service and gluten-free options available! Great assortment of sandwiches and desserts. The gluten free chocolate cookies weren’t good, but everything else was tasty, and the selection of teas was expansive and high quality. Would return and recommend!

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Abigail Gustafson . 2023-07-27

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Great experience by professional courteous staff.

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C.L. Melo . 2023-07-23

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Delicious tea in a lovely tea room. Booked a couple of weeks in advance, was seated right upon arrival. Service was prompt with regular offers to top up the tea. Food was delicious and the mini lobster roll was really cute. The trip was complete with a walk around the library. Pricey but worth it if you are celebrating an occasion or visiting Boston.

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Ling Zhu . 2023-07-23

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A must-try experience if you're in Boston. The Boston Public Library is a must-see to begin with, but ending an exploration of the library's spectacular interior courtyard and Hogwarts-esque reading room with a tea service is a perfect way to spend an afternoon in Boston. I've seen bigger tea selections than the one in this afternoon set, but it was plenty to choose from still for those of us who don't classify ourselves as tea snobs. I also thought the pastries and finger sandwiches were actually rather impressive for a tea service. The ambiance is utterly unbeatable. I wish I'd worn something cute for the occasion. I especially loved that the menus came inside books! Such a nice touch. I also didn't feel remotely rushed.

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Slex . 2023-07-21

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The food was excellent except for the sweets. They were just too sweet and the macaroons we're soggy. Overall would recommend.

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Tessa Monday . 2023-07-15

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Such a wonderful experience. We strongly recommend the tea room for your future visit to Boston. Their menu is placed in the book, and you can enjoy afternoon tea in a relaxed environment. Most of the desserts 🥧🍮 are too sweet for me, but paired with a sugar-free "the cozy copley" cup of tea, it's really just right.

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shinlin LIN . 2023-07-13

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The atmosphere and decor was amazing. Going from the public library part to this hidden tea room was quite an experience. Wait staff was kind and accommodating. Overall felt fancy. However the food was good - average. It was the only part of the experience where I was left wanting a bit more. I would go back for the experience of eating and drinking in that room, but not for the food.

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eric z . 2023-07-11

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My partner and I were really excited when we snagged a last minute reservation for afternoon tea. The dining area is beautiful and elegant, but dismayed that if you need to use the restroom, you have to use the library's public facilities outside of the establishment. It's a minor inconvenience...but really does take away from experience, as the restrooms are a bit of a walk away, unclean, and pretty congested with visitors. Our servers were friendly and kind, and they patiently explain the menu items. The food was the most surprising factor. The savory bites were just okay and the scones were decent. Out of the four dessert items, two were inedible. We actually spit them out because they tasted really off and strange. Which says a lot because we are the least picky eaters and pretty much like all food! I don't think I've ever spit out food. The sandwich bites, macarons, and scones were strangely flat tasting. Everything looked so pretty, so I think the mediocrity in flavor just felt really disappointing. The soup and salad appetizer was probably the best thing. We agree with the other reviewers who thought the food tasted defrosted. Overall, a cute experience at its very best, but definitely not worth the steep price at all.

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Emily Z . 2023-07-07

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The atmosphere and decoration are great, regardless rain or shine, you get to enjoy a high tea experience in a grand room with views of the courtyard in the middle of the public library. Tea menu is inserted in the middle of a book reflecting the library theme. The food itself is beautiful to look but mediocre in taste… the pastries taste like what you’d get from grocery store frozen aisles and defrosted, the scones were very dry, not crumbly and the sandwich slices tasted like they were day old with stale bread… Tea is ok, but not supreme quality as they were described on the menu.

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Maya Shen . 2023-07-04

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Would highly recommend this experience during a planned trip to the Boston Library. Our server Nelson was so attentive and ensured we had a wonderful experience through the high tea. They accommodated our dietary restrictions and offered alternatives almost instantly. There is absolutely no flaw at all! Loved it.

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Anita V . 2023-06-12

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Amazing experience and service. Food could be improved. Great tea selection

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João Pedro Rodrigues . 2023-06-05

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