Willard Peacock Alley Tea

We enjoyed beautiful harp music while we sipped tea and nibbled. The amount of food was enough for a meal between two people. Great service and atmosphere that would be perfect for an anniversary, Mother's Day, birthday, or other occasion.

Everything was absolutely lovely! They were prompt, the table perfectly set and the presentation reflected the Cherry Blossom season! 🌸 Gail Shanta played the harp beautifully! It was a special experience.

The best high tea in town. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, live music and amazing vibe.

The premier tea in D.C. I absolutely love this tea and the amazing folks who prepare and serve it. Mimi is a fantastic host and manager. And Subi is just a wonderful and personable server. Really all the people I've interacted with are so kind, attentive, and personable. The food and vibe are first class.

Such a lovely and relaxing experience. Our table was set beautifuly, the food was perfect, and the live music (harp) was top notch. I've never seen a high tea vegetarian menu before. That made the experience even more enjoyable. Even our 12 year-old-son had a good time! The only gripe I had is that the area we were seated was a hallway/walkway for hotel guests? So it wasn't 100% private. We'll definitely visit again next time we're in town though. Love!! ☕🎶

My mom and I went here while visiting DC and it's one of the best tea experiences we've had! The sandwiches were all super delicious and strayed away from the average chicken and egg salad which was a refreshing change. The scones were moist and perfectly flavored, and came with plenty of cream, lemon curd, and jams. The deserts were perfect little bites and incorporated a lot of seasonal ingredients. The tea list had an excellent variety, and we were both very happy with our selections. The atmosphere was elegant, and the harpist was super talented and played a whole host of familiar tunes, which was so fun. We both walked away full, happy, and with a completely empty tea tray, which never happens. I cannot recommend this enough.

We enjoyed holiday tea at the Willard hotel tea room. The food and service was absolutely wonderful. Subie was our server she was kind, knowledgeable and attentive, so much so that we spoke with her manager Cesar to let him know of our wonderful experience today. If you are in the DC area and would like to experience afternoon tea make sure to put the Willard Tea Room on your list.

My family and I enjoyed the Cherry Blossom Tea at the Willard this past weekend. The service was outstanding. I brought my two children, aged 5 and 6, and the staff spoke to them, welcomed them, and made them feel so very special. I also called before hand and asked for a menu that did not show the price, since I was bringing my mother-in-law and didn't want her to worry about the expense, since this was a gift from my family to her. The staff went above and beyond to provide special menus without the price just for my family-- I was so pleased. Yes, it is a pricy outing, but the experience was well worth the time and expense. My children absolutely loved the harpist, being doted on, and having "fancy desserts and grown up tea". It is a memory with Grandma that will hopefully stay with them-- I know she absolutely loved sharing this event with her grandchildren. We hope to attend again.

Went to afternoon Tea at the Willard 's Peacock Alley. The Christmas decorations were beautiful, they gave the place a magical quality. Add to that the wonderful pianist playing Christmas music and it was enchanting. The food was very good from the savory sandwiches to the sweet treats. However, what made it exceptional was the service - - a friend and I went to celebrate our December birthdays and while I was sure I had a reservation, (which is the only way to get a table,) it turned out that I'd mistakenly made it for January. While we were inquiring at the Concierge if our parking could be validated despite not having had been seated for Tea, Christinia the manager was called over and she said she might be able to get us a table despite the mixup in the reservations. The task looked impossible as the line and number of patrons was substantial. She did indeed find us a table and we were so glad she did as the whole experience from the parking attendent to the concierge, manager and wait staff and food were wonderful. The Williard truly value customer service. I plan on going next year and will be very careful about making a reservation.

This is the real Peacock Alley and we accidentally booked the other (subpar) one for valentines day. So today we got to experience it here which is what we wanted all along. Deepak was fabulous is caring for us and ensuring our experience was above and beyond. We will be back and visit him and Peacock Alley again. Thank you

Everything was perfection. Food, tea selection and champagne. Loved the harpist and it added a nice touch to the ambiance. My daughter and her tiance treated me for my birthday and I was surprised to receive a special cupcake and the harpist played Happy Birthday. The service and attention to detail was excellent.

We had a wonderful time at the afternoon tea, celebrating our friend, the bride-to-be. The experience was made even more special thanks to the exceptional service from Deepak. He was warm, attentive, and made sure everything was perfect from start to finish. Our friend had a fantastic time, and we all appreciated the delicious food, lovely tea selection, and thoughtful touches throughout. Highly recommended for a special occasion!

Came for high tea today with family - I notified the staff several weeks in advance that I'm vegan and one of my siblings is gluten free, and that we both have specific and severe allergies. I was very anxious about dining here because I had to be hospitalized after having afternoon tea at another (and completely unrelated) place earlier this year. They assured me on the phone, and again when we were seated, that they were aware of our allergies and dietary restrictions and everything would be taken care of. But when our food came out, the items we were allergic to were on our plates! Our waiter, Deepak, was extremely apologetic and quickly took care of it. At the end of our meal, he told us he had talked to the manager and had ALL of our meals comped because of the mixup - something we did not at all expect and tried to protest! It was incredibly generous and kind, and even this aside, he was an attentive and excellent waiter. I would come back again for the quality of service alone (and the vegan scones melt in your mouth!).

We recently celebrated a wonderful joint birthday for my daughter and me at the Willard Hotel’s High Tea, and it was an unforgettable experience. The setting was both buzzy and elegant, and the presentation of the teas, pastries, and savory bites was as beautiful as it was delicious. What truly set the day apart, though, was the extraordinary service. Our server, Deepak, was warm, attentive, and effortlessly anticipated our every need. He made us feel so well cared for and added a personal touch to every detail. It was a perfect celebration from start to finish.

This is a great way to spend the afternoon and feel fancy. We could not finish all the food (take it easy on the scones in the beginning). Service and ambiance were perfect. Also the free valet was a nice touch.

We love afternoon tea and try to go whenever we can, especially to venues we have never tried before. The afternoon tea at the Willard was exquisite!!! One of the best if not the BEST we have ever had. The food was delightful, especially the scones and pastries. Each pastry was a small bite of heaven, incorporating unique and wonderful flavor combinations, not the same tired flavors found at most afternoon teas. And the service was impeccable!! Can't say enough good things about it (and no this is not a "compensated" review.) You must experience afternoon tea at the Willard hotel in DC.

I was a little concerned about whether this would be worth it given some of the bad reviews but my mom and I had a great time! I do wish they'd let you try more than one type of tea without charging extra like some other high teas I've been to but the food was great and plentiful (we brought several leftover pastries home), valet parking is validated, and the harpist played the full 90 minutes with a great combo of classical and pop hits (Beyonce's Texas Hold 'em on a harp? How fun is that?!). I thought between all of the above, the price was reasonable and I would definitely go again!

I came here for my friends bachelorette which was a really nice experience. Overall it was great, the pasteries and sandwiches were very good and they even have a gluten free menu. We opted for the champagne service as well, which was nice. There was a good selection of tea, you get to choose one tea per person. I ordered a green tea which was bitter when I received it, this usually means it was brewed at too high of a temperature. I was surprised that at this price point I would receive such a bitter tea. Other than that it's a lovely environment and a very enjoyable experience. Being in a hotel it's a little chaotic, there was also a wedding happening as we were leaving.

We love an afternoon tea! This one is set up in Peacock Alley in the Willard Hotel, which is basically a hallway. Still lovely and a nice experience with live harp music. Everything was enjoyable, but we especially enjoyed the cognac lobster sandwich, pear toffee basket and the scones. $90/adult or $105 with a glass of champagne. $65/child. Would recommend.

Very traditional, elegant British tea. Great for special occasions but a little pricy. The sweets and biscuits were great. Very tasty. Strawberry and apple butter very good. The sandwiches were tiny and not enough substance. One bite per one. A great selection of teas for everyone to choose from. Nice service. Very good live harpist.

Went with a group of girlfriends, and overall had a nice experience. The tea bites and tea/champagne are the best part, the bites are carefully curated and were delicious and fresh. Only 4 stars because the service wasn’t 5 star quality and a little rude. Overall had a fun time however, and would definitely come back in the future sometime. Thanks!

Food was ok. Too little for $110. Service was good 👍. The waitress promised to bring extra savory sandwiches but never did and I did not bother to remind her. They could make a couple more sandwiches for this price. Scones were ok as well. Nothing special.

Beautiful & relaxing afternoon tea until a homeless man passes through the alley asking guests for money. Service is simply okay.

This was not a genuine high tea. Love the venue, kind and attentive servers but the food was plain gross and the tea itself was solidly lackluster and plain and flavorless. All of the “sandwiches” were tiny stale canapés that tasted like they had been sitting out for hours. You can’t buy perfect I guess, because we paid through the nose for a very disappointing experience.

The food and atmosphere was exceptional, but their "tea policy" was disappointing. Within 5 minutes of being seated we ordered our teas of choice, and received both our pots of tea and the three-tier tray full of treats. What disappointed me, was that we were only allowed one pot of tea per person, and it did not indicate that anywhere on the menu. I ordered a tea and ended up disliking it, but was informed I could only order a new pot if I paid an additional cost of $12. This service is $78/person so I found that additional cost to be ridiculous.

Tea was just okay. The sandwiches, scones and jams were pretty good, most of the desserts weren’t for me. The tea I ordered was sweet, which I didn’t realize and didn’t like. It was way overpriced for what it is. We also got a few mosquito bites sitting there which I know can’t be helped. The service was lovely, though, and the music too.

I really enjoy going out to teas; unfortunately, Peacock Alley was disappointing. Overall, the food was underwhelming and the service was lacking. We had a 1:00 reservation for the cherry blossom tea. We arrived on time to a herd of people crammed in the lobby for the tea. It took 15 minutes to be sat at our table. The alley is beautiful; however, there were paint cans strewn about in the corner. We were never offered water or asked if we’d like another glass of champagne. Our empty champagne glasses were never cleared from the table. We were brought the check while we still had a dessert plate left. Had to ask for boxes and track someone down for a bag to carry them. The menu leaned far more to the sweet side. The cherry blossom chocolate tree looked like a pink haired troll head. The harp player was a nice touch and added to the ambience of the room. Other teas that I’ve enjoyed have offered better food selections and impeccable service. I suggest booking elsewhere.

Mediocre food, tea was great, service was missing. The ambiance was the best part, but food can seriously be elevated to make it worth what they ask for price.

A Vegan Afternoon Tea to Remember… for All the Wrong Reasons Ah, the joy of celebrating a special occasion with an afternoon tea! The delicate pastries, the fluffy scones, the endless tea refills… oh wait, I must have wandered into the non-vegan section of the menu (see photos from other reviews). The experience begins with a thrilling 30-minute queue, which I assume was meant to build anticipation—like waiting for a Michelin-starred meal, except at the end of this tunnel, there's no light… For those of us plant-based peasants, we get a plate featuring cut fruit, a lone chocolate piece, short bread, raspberry puree, and—brace yourselves—a fruit gummy. A gummy! The pinnacle of culinary innovation gone so, so, so wrong. And the scones? A true marvel of engineering—so rock-solid, I considered keeping one as a self-defense weapon. No vegan butter, no clotted cream, not even a half-hearted apology for the dental damage we were about to endure. Other tables received celebratory cakes. We, on the other hand, were treated to the sweet, sweet taste of neglect. Nothing. Not even a “Congrats, here’s another gummy.” To be fair, the staff were absolutely lovely. So, two stars for them. As for the food? If you’re vegan and considering this place, I have just one piece of advice: run, very very far.

Both the sweets and the savories were lackluster. There was something always off about the combination, and everything felt stale. My guess is they pre-prepare it so all the bread-y ones had become stale or soggy. The tastes leaned very American, with the scones being sickly sweet. The service was fine but not what’s expected of a 150 per person tea service. The seating area is in the middle of the hotel—a couple of tables thrown in the middle of the lounge chairs—with tourists walking around. We joked that we felt like we were in Vegas (derogatory). Not a good experience

FYI you might not be seated in Peacock Alley for the holiday afternoon tea. Even though it’s called Willard Peacock Alley Tea. The Willard decided to expand seating, so if the main draw for tea is the ambiance and decor, there’s a chance you’ll shell out +$100 for a seat in the back lobby instead. We got seated in the lobby room to the left. This wasn’t communicated to us beforehand, and there is no option to pick either. The lobby room is more bland with few holiday decorations, none of the festive charm of the main hallway. Lower your expectations. The Willard claims they made it a point to inform guests of the new seating areas when confirming the reservation—that didn’t happen for us. They also said they’d continue to use the new seating areas next year and beyond. I advise you call them to confirm what seating will look like. Food: I liked the scones and some of the savory items. The desserts were meh. I know to expect average afternoon tea food from other times at the Willard—you pay for the ambiance (which you may not even get).

Pros: Food was delicious. Presentation was lovely. Great ambiance including a harpist. Cons: Service was painfully slow. We had a reservation. Took 30 minutes for a server to come to the table with water. Another 30 minutes for tea to be served. Then another 15 minutes for food to come out. So an hour and 15 minutes total. Totally unacceptable when you're paying $68 + a mandatory $20 gratuity.

The space was ok. Not nearly as nice as when I went years ago. The price for the food and service was not really worth it. For $100, we should have had a personal attendant to pour our tea when cup half full. Waiters there at beginning and then to pay bill. The service has declined tremendously. Not what I considered luxury service. More like self service. Tea was good. The food, sorry adequate at best.

I’ve been coming to the Willard for holiday tea for years and this was by far the most disappointing experience. We were seated promptly at noon, but it was 12:45 until we were served any tea - and the food didn’t come until after that. Overall the service was spotty - took a long time to refill water and really no one checked to see if the food was good. The food was pretty good - not the stellar assortment of years past. I spoke with the manager afterward so hopefully our experience will not befall other guests.

They sat us in the very back so im pretty sure the waiter just didn’t realize we were there so it took 20 mins for someone who looked like a manager to come up and take our tea order (the people who got sat at the same time as us literally had food on the table already). Then it took an even much longer for us to get our food. The scones were great but the sandwiches tasted like they sitting there for a while. The desserts were good but my biggest issue with them is that they were all fruity and wish there was something more chocolatey to balance it out. Also when we first got there our table wasn’t fully set one seat had just a napkin and menu with no plate while the other seat had just a plate nothing else so I had to flag down a server to get the missing items. Sure the set up isn’t that big of a deal but when you’re eating there for $90 per person the details should be there. Honestly everyone else looks like they’re service was standard it just felt like my table in the corner was left behind so maybe you’ll have a good time maybe you won’t but for $90 I’d try going somewhere else.

Look for a different venue and don't waste your money. Pros: - Ambiance is nice; you feel the old world charm right from the moment you step in. - Employees and service team members are very friendly and accommodating. Cons: - Poor quality of tea items. The scones were as dry as a brick, the cucumber sandwich bread was dry and hard, the sweets were crusty and broke off into crumbs. Even the deviled eggs were dry! It seems that these items were prepped at 8am and sat in the kitchen all day until the 4:00pm tea seating that I attended. - For two guests, including one cocktail, plus tip came to $237. I definitely paid like a royal but most certainly did not feel like one. I have patronized five star hotels in SE Asia (e.g. the Peninsula Hotel in Manila) and Africa (e.g. the Hemingways Hotel in Nairobi), and the tea service, quality of food and experience was world class and at a cost far less than what I paid at the Willard. As a 5-star hotel, the Willard grossly pales in comparison. For all the hype, it just does not meet the mark.

HIGHLY disappointing and underwhelmed. Starting with the price- I booked the Cherry Blossom Tea online. They quote $90 on the website, but in person the menu states Saturdays have a premium rate of $110. I was then inexplicably charged $120, bringing my total after mandatory gratuity to $156 - and I wasn't served the full cherry blossom aesthetic, with decorative bird cage tea tray, but rather on a sad white tea tray, which had 5 little finger sandwiches and 5 little desserts. And I had tea. (See photo for my $156 experience and judge for yourself) Absolutely not worth even half of what they charged me. ,

There was one overarching issue that brought all other aspects of the experience down: the price. My wife booked our reservation because she had always wanted to enjoy a traditional tea experience like in her favorite show Downton Abby. She didn't check the price before we left, which I'll admit is our fault. It's $90 per person, plus about $10 in tax per person, plus an up charge if you want Champaign. In total, our bill was about $200. We're both working class people. I thought it would be nice for her to live out her tea fantasy, but the service we got was no where near being worth $200. The tea is good, but can be bought online for much much less. There was nothing unique about the tea. The little snacks they serve with it aren't enough to count as a meal, and what was there was stale, like it had been prepared that morning and left to sit out. The table service is minimal. It's a pre-set tray with the only choice being what kind of tea to have, not a whole lot for the staff to do. I would have felt ripped off if I'd payed $50 for the whole thing, so to pay $200 is just outrageous. We could have gone out to a nice steak house for the same price or a little less. This place is absurd and I think just not meant for people like us. Post Script: I also had terrible food poisoning the whole night after going. Probably from the stale food

Went for the afternoon tea. Scones were amazing, really, really impressive. Rest of the food was rather meh, maybe apart from the salmon sandwich. Portions were small, and this was the first afternoon tea place in my memory that charged extra for much needed seconds. Afternoon tea is all about indulgence, so better make it more expensive, but don't refuse your guests anything. The area itself was also not much memorable, this hotel has a few spacious and bright areas that are much more fitting for the afternoon tea. Service was not enthusiastic either. All in all, not an experience I expected from the afternoon tea

My wife and I had tea at the Willard Peacock Alley today to celebrate our 26th wedding anniversary. Having moved here from the UK 27 years ago we were looking for a little taste of England. The alley was quite loud. There was a harp player who you could barely hear over the noise. I had difficulty hearing what any of the waiters were saying. I also had difficulty hearing my wife who was sat opposite me. My wife ordered the Willard house blend. I ordered the Lady Grey. My tea tasted like weak black tea. I could not taste the bergamot or other aromatics in the tea. My wife’s tea was marginally better. The selection of savory snacks was disappointing. The one good bite was the microscopically small cucumber and cream cheese sandwich. The other savories were awful. The sweets were also awful. The scones were dry and stodgy. There was no clotted cream, only Devonshire cream. It was not good Devonshire cream. None of the food tasted fresh. It all tasted like it had been sitting around for a long time. One of the savories was very dry, chewy bread with a tiny amount of flavorless sludge on it. Then there were worst devilled eggs I have ever tasted. Having tea at Betty’s (chain restaurant) in England is a far superior experience. I would expect an upscale experience to be better than a chain. For over $100 per person, this should have been an enjoyable experience. The icing on the cake was our waiter bringing us someone else’s more expensive check. If you are experienced with high tea I recommend you stay far away from this experience.