Tea Room, The

7.8 Recommended

Food  9      Drinks  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  6     

Unlike the previous reviewers, my friends and I had a great time at the Tea Room. We had the traditional afternoon tea priced at $39 which covered desserts, unlimited servings of sandwiches, scones and tea.

The ensemble was great and we enjoyed sampling all the different teas and desserts. The waitresses were friendly and kept offering us sandwich refills and tea refills. My friends and I stayed there for about 4~5 hrs just chatting and they didn't seem to mind at all.

Feb 18, 2012 

4.6 Below Average

Food  6      Drinks  4      Ambience  5      Service  4      Value  4     

Family and I came here for the high tea on Australia Day Holiday. It was quite hot here despite the high ceilings. The toilets are quite far. I kept joking to mini me that each of the doors on the sides of the coridors have different animals behind them or you end up on another end of Narnia, lol.

The staff seem to be more interested in keeping all tables set rather than to tend to customers. Upon sitting, we were asked how many we were going to dine for the high tea. As it seemed that staff weren't allocated to a certain section, I had to explain our dining situation several times which was really annoying. I recall there also being one waiter who would not even let me finish my request before he would raise his hand to stop me in my tracks and inform me that he would get someone else to handle the issue.

The service was not very good. We were dining in the QVB Tea Room...and for 43 dollars a head, a little attentiveness would have been nice.

For this particular high tea, we would be given a small pot of loose leaf tea. As mini me and my younger sister were not so keen on this option, they asked to have an iced chocolate instead. They were able to avail this option with no extra cost. Their version of getting more tea was having the pot refilled with more hot water and the iced chocolates I'm sad to say were quite a pathetic attempt. They came in small water glasses. No whipped cream and not even filled to the brim.

The China on the table was lovely. It was not enough to save them from the review. The scones were large and nice. Served with cream and jam in China bowls. Sandwiches were ok. We were given egg sandwiches, tuna sandwiches and cucumber cream cheese sandwiches to begin with. When they were finished, we asked for another plate. Seeing how skimpy they were on everything else, I was hesitant to ask for more in fear that this would be another cost.

The next plate had ham and watercress sandwiches. The only "hot" item in the high tea was spinach and cheese pastries. One for each person. The cakes on the tier were very small indeed. Passionfruit shortbread with cream, Opera cake, mini muffins and small tarts about the size of your thumb surrounded the other plates as you will see in my picture. I have to confess that I did like these passionfruit shortbreads. However, the only downfall of these were that they were crumbly and very hard to pick up.

All in all, I probably wasn't so sour about the whole experience due to the fact that I was absolutely palming for high tea. Had it not been for the scones, I don't think I would have walked out of there full anytime soon. I don't think I'll be coming back here. Certainly not worth the money. Go somewhere else. At least you get nice robust items on your tier and is almost half the cost.

Jan 31, 2012 

4.8 Average

Food  4      Drinks  3      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  4     

I had to say, it is over priced for what you get, compared to other places in Sydney that do high tea/afternoon tea. Although, we asked for another serve of sandwiches, and they gave us another plate.

You have to pay extra for coffee (not part of the set menu). Tea, once you decide on one flavour, that's all you get. A small pot, so after three hot water refills, it will be just hot water. Other places, you can get another tea pot for free (and bigger pot, too!).

Must admit, the scones are good. The petit fours (all those sweet small cakes), not really! Macarons are not "airy/crunchy". Cut sandwiches are Ok. Yes, the bill was shoved in to our table. It was like a sign "Your time is up".

Jan 16, 2012 

3 Below Average

Food  5      Drinks  5      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

Very disappointed. I agree with the previous reviewers, the service was so poor. High Tea out should be an experience, a good one. Hong Kong and Singapore can do better than this. No hot water with the tea, we had to ask for it and then it came to the table like hot water for yum cha but in a ridiculous porcelain tea pot. The main centre piece of flowers was full of dead gladiolus. Oh dear not what we expected of the QVB.

Dec 13, 2011 

6 Average

Food  6      Drinks  6      Ambience  9      Service  5      Value  4     

I've been to The Tea Room four times now and each time is unfortunately worse than the previous. Their food is average, as is the coffee but there is a wide selection of tea. On my last visit I was very displeased with a few things as well. However, the scones and the jam here are great!

Read more on my blog

Oct 21, 2011 

4.8 Average

Food  3      Drinks  5      Ambience  8      Service  5      Value  3     

A group of us went here today with great expectations only to be so disappointed. The food was very mediocre and the best thing had to be the scones. The rest of the food on offer were mainly sweets, the sandwiches were pretty tasteless.

The Tea's and coffee's we ordered were pretty nice. The waiter got our order wrong and originally charged us for 6 people when I had previously discussed the cost for my daughter, which I was informed there was no charge for her as she could just share with me (she's only 4yrs old). They did happily amend this, however, for the tea I ordered for her was charged at $8. I have never had to pay $8 for tea but maybe that's just their prices normally.

Before our time was up, after 1 1/2hrs (which apparently we were only allocated 2hrs, even though they had quite a few empty tables), a waitress who was not the one servings us abruptly gave us the bill, even though she could clearly see that we still had a lot of food left to go through.

I have been to the Tearoom at Gunner's Barracks and found their food not only alot better but also their service. It was really a disappointment. I will definitely not be going back.

Oct 03, 2011 

5.8 Average

Food  4      Drinks  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  4     

I was so disappointed by the food! It was mediocre! Came here for an afternoon tea with a friend on a weekday. The service was actually pretty good (contrary to all the other reviews) - I thought the waiters were attentive and knowledgeable. The tea selection was good and our teas were nice but the food just wasn't worth it. The sandwiches were ordinary whilst the cakes tasted cheap. The best thing was the jam and scone. There was just nothing special about the food. Would not recommend this place for high tea.

Jul 11, 2011 

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Drinks  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

I have had High Tea here on numerous occasions. Yesterdays visit was a fabulous experience and in my opinion the service was even better than previous visits.
The sandwiches were divine and this time they actually came around with trays and offered more.

Even though it was a saturday and they were busy the staff were attentive, water glass was never below half full, tea was piping hot and hot water top ups offered. The variety is great with ricotta and spinach rolls and cheese and onion tartlets (the yummiest I've ever eaten). Pistachio macaroons were perfect, crispy outside and soft in the middle. Passionfruit shortbread cream biscuits...delicious. By far one of Sydney's best High teas.

May 01, 2011 

3.4 Below Average

Food  4      Drinks  4      Ambience  7      Service  1      Value  1     

So so disappointing. From the minute we arrived. The service was so snooty (on a Wednesday!). We arrived at 10:58 and were told morning tea started at 11 and were not allowed to proceed into the dining room until 11 (yes, a whole 2 minutes....). The morning tea, at $27 per person is mostly mini sweets and 3 lame finger sandwiches (for 2) and the quality was simply lacking.

The coffee servings are small. My mother and I laughed at the service because it was near impossible to get anyone's attention which was bizarre seeing as it was fairly quiet. For an extra $10 you can upgrade to the afternoon tea, which gets you a scone and a mini cheese and spinach puff. Not good value at all. The only good thing about the Tea Room is the room itself, its lovely. We won't be back, nor would I recommend this place to anyone, there are much nicer high teas in Sydney.

Apr 20, 2011 

7.6 Recommended

Food  7      Drinks  7      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

I have enjoyed High Tea at the QVB on several occasions. Each time the wine has been chilled, the tea hot and the food varied and well presented. The High Tea selection is more than adequate for a light lunch. The tearoom is a great place to relax and savor the charm of this lovely old building.

Apr 13, 2011