Mad Dogs & Englishmen in Southend-on-Sea

Beautifully decorated according to theme with the most delicious food and drinks. Staff are very attentive and welcoming. Our server, Matthew, was spectacular. Looking forward to our next visit already!

Took my mum for an early Mother’s Day treat - met all expectations and more - 5 stars all the way 🥰

Had a wonderful afternoon tea with my 3 daughters. Couldn't fault it in anyway

Nice food, friendly staff and the place has lots of character. I highly recommend

Today was second time my daughter has treated me here, the decorations are outstanding and the staff are amazing, would definately recommend.

Nice place to visit. Staff were lovely. But very over priced. You are paying for the theme.

As ever the staff are amazing & can’t welcome you enough, the themes are worked well. The food is so fresh & plentiful. Have been before & will definitely go again ❤️

First time and it's fantastic. Food great, service excellent and really cleverly done

Came here for the Bridgerton experience and had a lovely time , the server's where lovely and i would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone looking for a lovely experience

Amazing afternoon tea food with generous sized sandwiches and delicious cakes. The attention to detail in the food and decor is incredible. We are regular visitors for the different themes.

Great afternoon tea friendly staff fantastic decorations to add to the theme all home made cakes the scones were light and a great selection of sandwiches and cakes x

Beautiful settings, Snow White was very polite and helpful , food was amazing, all together a wonderful afternoon tea. Can’t wait for the next one

The sandwiches were not great. Cakes were disappointing. They felt as though they were frozen and then thrawed. The service wasn't brilliant. For seven of us cost 400 pound. Won't be going again.

What a magical place. Definitely recommend the Bridgerton day. Food amazing and a lot so don’t eat before arrival…. Lovely birthday gift.

Went for the Snow White's afternoon tea, it was amazing. So well decorated. Strong cocktails. Lovely staff!

Amazing as always our new Christmas tradition x just so magical xx

Seeking to do something different for my birthday we chose to have an afternoon tea at Mad Dogs and Englishmen. The theme of our choosing was The Nutcracker. The décor throughout was incredible. A lot of thought, time and effort went into the design of the tea room. The place was full, yet the atmosphere was cosy, perfect for a couple. The staff were friendly and efficient. Our waitress Liberty couldn't do enough for us. Thank You for making our visit so special. The food was excellent and there was a lot of it! The first course included a lovely soup, a variety of freshly made finger sandwiches, a savoury muffin and pig in blanket each. This was followed by a scone with jam and cream then came the desserts, a lot of desserts, beautifully made, presented and themed! The atmosphere, staff and nice food made this a wonderful experience. Thank You and we hope to visit you again on an other occasion.

Went for afternoon tea, the fresh scones were absolutely delicious! Moist, light and tasty. All the food was superb. But would expect so at this price point

Absolutely amazing and thank you so so much for looking after us and for being so accommodating! We throughly enjoyed ourselves 👏👏👏👏

3rd visit and possibly my favourite, the food was outstanding the small shots of parsnip soup the best I’ve ever tasted. The nutcracker decor is magical and the cocktails outstanding as usual 😍 every time I go I think it can’t beat the last, the staff are so so lovely.

WORTH EVERY PENNY!! This place is incredible. I’ve been here twice and I am still blown away. The attention to detail is incredible, every part of the place is covered in the theme of the afternoon tea. The nutcracker theme was just so beautiful, it felt so cosy. We upgraded to VIP and was well worth the extra money. Got an extra cake and our own little booth. It was also my mums birthday and they bought the cakes out with a candle which was nice touch. Food is amazing, loved the parsnip soup, this was definitely something different to add to an afternoon tea! Cakes are so yummy. I love that the scones and mince pies were lovely a warm, can tell they’re super fresh. Cocktails!!!! - wow!!! - so worth the money! Staff can’t do enough for you, Harriet was our waitress and she was great. Will defiantly be back! Thankyou!! X

Been here a few times but felt this time staff and the whole experience not as good. One member of staff quiet rude said we had not paid our bill and we couldn’t look at other room serving afternoon tea. A bit disappointing as was booked for a special birthday

The afternoon tea is very good (with as many top ups of sandwiches/cakes as you want), but that's not the main attraction of Mad Dogs & Englishmen. They run 2 themed teas at once (in different parts of the restaurant), and change them ever 6/8 weeks or so. The attention to detail in the room decoration is incredible - and really made it a special occasion. Very helpful waitress. Bit expensive (£50/head), but not your average afternoon tea !!

What a fantastic place! We celebrated a birthday with Snow White afternoon tea. MD&E really know how to create an immersive experience with so much attention to detail. Every member of staff goes the extra mile to make your visit wonderful. The food is delicious and the cocktails sublime. I can’t recommend it enough. Well done and thank you, we will be back!

Wonderful atmosphere, dressed beautifully for their “wizarding” theme. The afternoon tea itself was excellent - tasty, fresh, lots of choice and generous (we took a few of the cakes home with us). Our 9 year old daughter (who is a huge fan of a certain Wizarding franchise) was suitably impressed!

Had the Harry Potter afternoon tea and it was so lovely! The decorations were for on theme and well thought out. The food was also very tasty but I especially loved the themed cakes. The cocktail (that was made alcohol free for me) was also amazing. Lastly, the service was immaculate so thank you!

Fabulous, quirky place to have a delicious afternoon tea. We had the Under the Sea experience whereby the venue was dressed like a sea bed. It was a girl’s dream place. Going again at Xmas.

I bought the afternoon tea for my sisters birthday and we went today well what can I say , it was fabulous so much better than I expected , food was delicious , the atmosphere was just spot on and the staff are some of the nicest , most professional I’ve ever met that definitely make everyone feel special throughout the whole visit , we will be returning that’s for sure , thank you for a wonderful afternoon tea xxx❤️❤️❤️

This is the place to go for a themed afternoon tea. From the arrival we felt welcomed. We came for the wizard, magical, harry potter themed tea. Wow! The decor is fabulous with so much to look at. The Service was outstanding and all the staff were polite and attentive. Our food was amazing. Warm, fresh and delicious. Worth every penny. Especially the scones they are literally the best scones we've ever eaten. We can't wait to book the next themed tea.

Brilliant atmosphere, they catered for vegan requirements no fuss and nothing was too much bother . Nothing was compromised at all amazing and will be back soon

Harry Potter theme afternoon tea was a fabulous afternoon. Sandwiches were delicious and very filling. Lots of treats and the potion for each person to do was fun. Took our 9 year old for her birthday and she throughly enjoyed it and was amazed at each new course that came out. Service was brilliant.

Had a lovely time at a recent visit to Mad Dogs, only feedback I would like to give the business is that sitting in your upstairs room is very noisy. To be paying the amount you do for this experience, we couldn't hear ourselves very well due to the bar being very busy for the duration with staff and lots of prep to take to both rooms. It did damper our experience. The staff we had were great though.

Absolutely fantastic. The theming is brilliant, so much attention to detail and interesting props and magic everywhere you look. Food was delicious and again themed so well. Thank you!

Attention to detail was above and beyond. Harry Potter themed afternoon tea was tasty and well presented. Well done everyone

A really special treat with brilliant visuals. I had The Jungle Book afternoon tea recently. I can't do justice to the setting, where they have decorated every spare centimetre with dressings and props that give you a real sense of occasion over other afternoon teas. Staff are warm and also dressed appropriately! Vast range of interesting teas, cocktails and non alcoholic drinks also available, with music finishing the mood. I only have a slight issue with the food which is good but not up to the level of the decoration. The sandwiches are tasty but very ordinary - not on theme, some frozen fries and a couple of pieces of vegetable on a stick aren't blowing anyone away, a bit stingy on the jam for the scones too, however the cakes were pretty and delicious. I feel bad knocking them a little but it is £45 per person so you expect exceptional food to match the surroundings. Parking is difficult (true of all London Road), with only 1 hour available out the front. Try to find parking in a nearby residential street. Do go for a special occasion as the setting deserves it, but don't expect the most memorable food.

Great atmosphere, but the food and service make it extra special. Treated my daughter to the Abba themed afternoon tea for her 30th birthday - perfect for a very special occasion, with their exquisite treats. As a diabetic, I also like the fact that plenty of savoury treats are served too, along with lots of variety for the vegetarians. Thank you 😊

Fantastic themed afternoon tea, the theme changes regularly.

Attention to detail was impressive and the whole event was stunning. The food was delicious and the presentation was fantastically on theme.

The afternoon tea is exceptional here! We have been 3 times and it never disappoints. The service is always amazing, the food is carefully thought about and constructed so it fits the theme and the theming/decoration of the restaurant is absolutely above and beyond. Already planning which tea to choose next!

We had a beautiful under the sea afternoon tea for my daughter’s 6th birthday! In her words ‘best birthday ever’ thank you so much for great service and delicious food!

My family and I came for the ‘under the sea’ afternoon tea. It was the best afternoon tea we have ever had! The venue was beautifully decorated throughout and the staff also dressed up which my daughter loved. The food was amazing and very tasty. Their selection of drinks that could be purchased were amazing too and thoroughly matched the theme. Would highly recommend and we will definitely return for another afternoon tea 😃

Fantastic theme and atmosphere. Food was great. Hallie was a great waitress and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves thank you

Took my Mum to the Jungle Book themed afternoon tea and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The food was outstanding, so fresh and so much of it! The decor looked amazing and our waitress Emily was very friendly and attentive. We were so impressed and can't wait to come back!

We have been to many an afternoon tea at Mad Dogs and Englishmen and have loved every single one! We recently went to the Under The Sea one which was great. Price is a little on the high side however when you see how much goes into everything then it’s understandable and definitely worth it! Staff are always super friendly , welcoming and attentive and always come away feeling that we have had the best afternoon! We can’t wait for the next.

Amazing place. The effort into the decorations is incredible, even down to the fine details. The food not only looked amazing but tasted amazing too. The staff were lovely and the service great. I will be coming back to experience every theme!

Jungle Book afternoon tea okay but definitely not worth £50 per head. The sandwiches were a bit stale (hard), the fries were cold and the vegetable skewers were floppy and shrivelled. The saving grace was the lovely desserts but possibly only because they were bought-in.

First time visit but will not be the last . Thoroughly enjoyed it . Thanks guys

I was there last Saturday with family. As I was on oxygen the management and staff were so helpful. The food was delicious with hot / savoury. I have never had the savoury before and it was yummy. Aswell as tasty sandwich etc etc trying to do black code but I am useless , so once again was very enjoyable. Thank you Barbara. 😊

My 2nd visit for afternoon tea and a different experience each time. The staff dress perfectly for the relevant theme and are really friendly & helpful, especially our waitress Liberty. The decor is fantastic and as this visit was Mamma Mia, I really felt like I was in Greece. The afternoon tea was Greek based and absolutely delicious. They catered really well for my dietary requirements. I totally recommend a visit to experience this fantastic place. Even the delicious cocktails were Mamma Mia Greek themed.

Very accommodating and lovely staff. Went to the Alice in Wonderland afternoon tea, and all the plates, cups, and food were themed around it

I went for the mama Mia themed afternoon tea and loved it. It was my first time attending and it came highly recommended for me. I will be back because it was simply magical and worth every single penny. All the staff working when I attended were lovely and all dressed up

Amazing afternoon tea today blew our minds so good fantastic themed restaurant

Great atmosphere , lovely food and superb service. Attention to detail in both surroundings and the food was superb. Was well worth the cost and would definitely recommend to others. Oh and the cocktails were absolutely delicious

Absolutely loved it here, so pretty and relaxing, recommend a visit.

Celebrating a friends birthday today, the food was delicious, the staff very attentive. The theme was Mamma Mia, beautifully decorated

Celebtating a birthday had a lovely time

Wonderful experience, excellent food, all fresh. Well worth a visit

Staff were very welcoming and accommodating! Wonderful experience, great food and atmosphere! Would recommend!

Perfect Birthday treat for my mums 81st birthday .. food wonderful afternoon tea , staff friendly and attentive .. gorgeous decor

Absolutely amazing! The best themed afternoon tea - great food you could tell it was all made fresh, lots of teas included with the price of the afternoon tea & filter coffee. I ordered a coffee off a different menu it may have taken 20 mins or so but because of the themes I didn’t mind the wait at all. Our waitress Beth was fabulous! Her customer service is 10 out of 10, can’t wait to go back x

Came here for the Cinderella afternoon tea with a friend and it did not disappoint. This venue always really goes above and beyond with all the decoration and the little touches. The pumpkin soup was divine which I was not expecting.

Lovely experience slightly marred by not being served tea/coffee from the start. And when we did enquire were told - well, you only have 15 minutes left of your sitting. A cup of tea is always nice with sandwiches and a scone. The cakes were amazing and travelled well back to London in the box. Worth a visit, maybe ask for tea from the start. Oh the cocktails were very good too.

I can not recommend this place enough! Such a fab experience start to finish. The effort they went through to make it a great time is unreal. Food is fab, and they are very accommodating to allergies to. Ten out of ten! 🔥

Had been wanting to have afternoon tea here for a while and wasn’t disappointed! Went for the Alice in Wonderland themed tea with a friend. The decor and atmosphere was very impressive and the service attentive and friendly. The food itself was also very nice, a well thought out menu in keeping with the theme and beautifully prepared and presented. We couldn’t finish all the cakes so had little boxes to bring the leftovers home with us. Will have to go again for another themed event as a future treat!

Beautiful cinderella themed afternoon tea here with family. Cannot fault the service at all.

Im not sure if some of these reviews are for the same place i visited yesterday. I was so impressed with everything and well worth the money! Excellent selection of food and service was well above what you would expect. We definitely will be back. Cocktails were great.

Came from London and wasn’t disappointed! Had the best time! The attention to detail was incredible! The sandwiches were tasty, the cakes were amazing! The decor was fabulous! Gemma and her team were brilliant! I can’t wait to come again x Highly recommend the watermelon Martini x

Utterly gutted the venue won’t make provisions for someone with a medical condition preventing them from eat regular portions. We asked whether alternative options could be provided or whether we could have tea only but was told no with no alternative suggestion - Sadly we won’t be visiting to waste so much food.

The most amazing restaurant, everything about this venue was outstanding, the afternoon tea was so beautifully presented, in fact I would say the cakes were as good as those I had in the Harrods food hall, the decor has to be seen to be believed, wonderful service, I’ll definitely be back, a hidden gem in Essex

Very nice food and amazing cocktails

We went for afternoon tea to celebrate my birthday. It is exquisite. Beautifully themed, with every possible detail thought of. Our waitress was delightful...so polite and attentive. The food was absolutely delicious ...really top notch. I thought there wouldn't be enough, but it was so tasty and I was full after the savoury part. Thank you Gill and team for a gorgeous afternoon. X

Took my girlfriend here for her birthday. A wonderfull expirence and an amazing atmosphere. Service was spot on and the food was fantastic. Will definatly come back

Wow, and Wow again, the setting is magnificent, you need to take time to look in all the little nooks and crannies. The sandwiches were well filled, a nice touch was the warm savoury muffins and chips. The scones were also warm and the best I have had outside of homemade. Beautiful cakes and mousse. We, like everyone else couldn't eat it all, but were sent on our way with exquisite little boxes with our "leftovers". I did find the booking on line confusing.the themes change every few months. We went to the Alice in Wonderland one, but downstairs was Wizard of Oz. They also change to Mum's Mia, the glass slippers, jungle book, Harry potter amongst others, so select your date according to the theme you want, apparently it takes about a week to change themes, so you may not get your exact date.

I am so disappointed with the service. I was due to visit with my pregnant daughter today for a Mother’s Day treat. Unfortunately my daughter went into labour during the night and gave birth seven weeks early. I called the restaurant this morning and told them what had happened and could we possibly move the booking to another day. I was told that this was not possible as it was a Mother’s Day booking! I then asked if maybe they could box it up for us and I could collect it on the way to the hospital. I was told that would be ok but would be charged full price and could I pick it up before 12. That was not possible because I had to shop for everything for the baby and wouldn’t get there on time. I therefore had to cancel the booking completely but was then told my daughter’s deposit would be lost! I do feel under the circumstances they could have been a little more compassionate and let me just move the booking to another day. Very very disappointed and will not be visiting again

Pictures don’t do this place justice! Absolutely wonderful afternoon tea for my friend’s birthday. We opted for the Alice in Wonderland afternoon tea. The decor is fabulous, really creates an atmosphere as if you are in wonderland yourself. Food was fresh and tasty, great value for money in my opinion. Staff lovely and attentive. Great for photo opportunities too! Would love to return to try another themed afternoon tea🐰🐛🍄🌺

Came here for early Mother's Day and grandaughters birthday, we had afternoon tea. Atmosphere was perfect although music a little loud over all a great afternoon, food was delious and presented well would high recommend.

An Xmas present from daughter,son in law, grandson. Amazing, unbelievable, food excellent, staff wonderful so friendly, helpful, wizard of oz decoration absolutely amazing. Wish I could afford to go every week

Absolutely fantastic first time I've been and now want to visit all the themes. Really great job. Fantastic attention to detail. Good Quality food. Wonderful way to spend a couple of hours. Thank you! Great service as well ❤️

Second visit to this amazing tea room based in Leigh on Sea. No additional cost for a Gluten Free option. Staff super helpful and friendly. Huge variety of sandwiches and cakes. Worth every penny for an amazing experience. Looking forward to returning.

We visited Mad Dogs and Englishman for our Engagement tea and photoshoot . The food was delicious and and so pretty, surroundings are magical . All the staff very very friendly and helpful. Thank you to everyone at Mad Dogs and Englishmen for making us so welcome and for letting us take our photos in their beautiful restaurant.

Mind blown 🤩 Amazing Decor…… Lovely Staff and the Food was Delicious…….Recommend the cocktails 🍸 Thank you for a lovely Anniversary 💞

Had afternoon tea here many times but was very disappointed on this occasion. Basic sandwiches which consisted of cheese and brown pickle, egg, cheese and cucumber, I tiny pot of chips to share between three and a very tiny pot of coleslaw to share between three. Cakes were ok. Was very expensive for what we received and we all felt that although there has been a price increase the quality of the afternoon tea has decreased. What a shame.

Myself, sister and two nieces enjoyed a lovely Wizard of Oz afternoon tea today. The service was excellent - very friendly, efficient and attentive waitress. The themed decor was very atmospheric alongwith the music from Wicked and the Wizard of Oz. We thoroughly enjoyed the savoury aspect of the afternoon tea especially the warm cheese and chive muffins all brought out in a Dorothy style gingham basket. More than enough to eat. Plenty of fresh pots of tea too. The warm scones with cream and jam were delicious and quite large. We couldn’t eat all of the delightfully themed sweet treats so took some home with us. The attention to detail and friendly atmosphere made it all very enjoyable.

A wonderful experience with family this afternoon at the wizard of oz afternoon tea. At the time of booking I highlighted the need for step free access for my nan and received a call to discuss the options further. I have visited before for the Charlie and the chocolate factory afternoon tea and this was a completely different experience with different menus, decor and drink options. Both were outstanding. For a special occasion I would highly recommend Also had a look at the upstairs Alice in wonderland afternoon tea and although a smaller venue, the attention to detail was still of the highest quality. A much more intimate space with a lovely bar I would recommend both Thank you to everyone for a fantastic experience

I visited Mad Dogs with my friends, we experienced the Wizard of Oz theme. It was such a lovely experience......the food was outstanding both in taste and presentation, everything was linked in with the theme and tasted as amazing as it looked. The cocktails were lovely and were served in an extraordinary style. The decoration inside the room was absolutely beautiful, lots to look at and overall the attention to detail was out of this world. The service was great, very friendly and accommodating and saw to our every need. Would definitely recommend and will be revisting very soon for a different theme. A.......mazing!! We had the best time.

😃 Just had a lovely surprise afternoon tea here in the Alice in wonderland themed setting. Even though I'm a 57 year old bloke I still found myself thinking "this is quite magical" (and thats not normally a word I would use). Great food and service. A massive amount of effort has been made on the decor and it is appreceated. Everyone that walked in immediately reached for there phones to start taking photos. So top marks to mad dogs and all the staff. I would love to come back to see what the OZ theme is all about. 100% recommended 😁👍

I have been to Mad Dogs and Englishmen 3 times now and I have never been disappointed. After The Ritz this is the best afternoon tea I have been to. The themed decor is amazing and they think of every detail each time the staff redecorate it for the next theme. I was there recently for one of my treats for my 60th birthday with my 2 daughters or so I thought I was, on arrival 16 lady members of my family where there and my daughters said that the staff were extremely helpful with the arrangements in executing the surprise. The sandwiches and cakes are delicious with a fab variety. The staff are very friendly and attentive. Would definitely recommend Mad Dogs and Englishmen and I look forward to my next visit.

My partner brought me here as a treat for my birthday. This is the third time I’ve been here and each time has got worse. The place a themed decor which is the only reason to come here. We started with four tiny sandwiches my quorn chicken option was disgusting. There was a tiny cup of chips that I had to share with my partner and a very small savory scone. I was still hungry after that course as it just wasn’t adequate. The cakes came out there was one warm scone and various sickly cakes not one of them tasted nice but they looked very pretty. For the very first time I was in the themed room. I was in the wizard of oz room by the kitchen. Although pretty looked like it wasn’t finished with wires poking out and slap dash decor. This place is so overpriced and you just don’t get enough savory food to fill you up. The only positive was the cocktails but at £12 each I expect a decent cocktail. Really disappointing

Celebrated my mums 75th birthday here on 31st Jan - 6 of us - the most beautiful afternoon. You are literally lost in an experience from the minute you step through the doors. Decorated beautifully, transported to Oz and there you stay! Food was outstanding, plentiful, too good to eat even, we all just wanted to look at it. Sandwich’s fresh, scarecrow fries delicious and scones were warm, fresh and so tasty…then came the cakes! Simply blew us away - delicious and as I said all looked too good to eat. Huge hats off to the chefs behind this 👏🏻 first class and top end! The attention to detail and thought that goes into this magical experience is fantastic, it must takes ages and ages. Emily was the perfect host and dressed up as Dorothy adds to it all, she was tentative, topping up drinks and tea and could not do enough for you. A huge asset to you there - telling us how lovely it was to come to work each day and that working at mad dogs is one big family, it certainly shows as she had a permenant smile on her face. Amazing value, you are not only paying for afternoon tea (that is such a high standard) you are paying for an experience. We will all be back again without a shadow of a doubt. Thank you for making mums birthday so magical Emily and of course all at Mad dogs.

A great afternoon tea today Alice in Wonderland, lovely food and staff was very friendly as always my daughter enjoyed her belated birthday treat

Had a wonderful afternoon tea. Always wanted to go here and the experience didn't let me down. Wonderful details and service and food. So much love gone into this and it shows. We made a mess up of our booking day but they managed to get us in and we was grateful. Will definitely be back

I had high hopes when I booked for afternoon tea based on the experiences of others, but these were, unfortunately, not realised. It would seem that if you’re in a large group or sat in the centre, you will get excellent service, unlimited tea, and unlimited sandwiches. This justifies the cost. Unfortunately, if you are in a small group and sat at the side, you will get very little for your money.

My second visit in a matter of 4 weeks. First was the Narnia theme afternoon tea and today’s was the Wizard of Oz. Both were amazing experiences from the decor to the themed food. Service was faultless, with our waitress being there every time we needed something. Today I advised the restaurant of my friends birthday and the desserts/cakes came out with a candle for her to blow out which was a lovely touch. The whole experience is memorable and you can’t help take photos of the decoration which is very clever. Will go again as they cater for food I tolerances as well.

Always a magical experience! Food and cocktails are delicious

We had afternoon tea, great lovely decorations, clean and fun, nice servers. Good sandwiches, and cakes, and teas.

Went in the summer for their afternoon tea with the Under the Sea theme and it was incredible. We had multiple dietary requirements, one gluten free, one vegan, two veggie and one normal and they were all handled perfectly. Couldn’t be more impressed with the service too.

Absolutely amazing experience, afternoon tea in Alice in wonderland themed room. Loved the attention to detail in the room and the food presentation. So much to take in, just wonderful surroundings and the afternoon tea was delicious. We couldn't eat it all but they gave us posh boxes to take it home. Thoroughly recommend.

Really nice afternoon tea with my girlfriend. The venue was decorated so nice and cosy.

Attended the Chronicles of Narnia afternoon tea - fantastic decor which created a wonderful atmosphere

I'm glad you resonate with the description! Whether it's a specific place you have in mind or a general appreciation for nature, spending time in such serene environments can be rejuvenating and offer a sense of peace.