The Palm Court

Sandwhiches and scones were good but their desserts sucked. The pistachio macroon tasted terrible.
Ladies go easy on the tea… There’s only 2 female restrooms available within the hotel lobby area and there’s always a line of girls waiting to pee. They should have more than 2. Also the restrooms don’t have seat cover papers which is nasty. They should install a seat cover because nobody will want to sit on a sticky urinated toilet.

Great location, stunning tea room, BUT extremely bad waiter attitude. We walked out right after the ‘welcome’ part of the waiter! *furious*

I am a born and raised New Yorker. I’m also a workaholic. The kind of New Yorker who has been on the conveyor belt of achievement since before I could spell any of those words. The kind of New Yorker who knows of all the splendid things that are available in the city and never get to take part of it, because — well who knows why?
Afternoon Tea at the Plaza has been something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a little girl. When you grow up in NYC, every girl wants to be Eloise at the Plaza. Decades later, the opportunity to go has eluded me. Never had the thought to ask a date, a relative or anyone to join me for Afternoon Tea.
Yesterday, it was a beautiful sunny day in New York City. Although I work downtown and rarely find myself above Union Square, I found myself running to a couple meetings in Lincoln Center. Wanting to capture a bit more sun before I descended into the depths of the dark tunnels, I found myself staring at The Plaza. A grumble from my stomach was a stark reminder that it was lunch time.
«One day I hope to go Afternoon Tea.»
As I turned into the subway I realized I had been saying the same thing for decades. DECADES.
I turned around, looked at my calendar and decided that today was just as good as any other day I have been waiting for, which never happened.
Boy am I glad I went.
The staff had no clue that this day was the day I had been waiting for my entire life. A single cover just looking to have afternoon tea. I was seated in a table in the back and was promptly moved because the staff admitted «this is the worst seat.» I was moved to a better table where I had a better view of all the tourists and friends celebrating their time in NYC and various birthdays.
Although there were celebrations abound, they didn’t forget about me. In fact, that is where the magic began!
I was trying to savor every morsel from the Afternoon Tea selections, which included gorgeous bite size petit fours, tea sized sandwiches with a New York flair (Lox & bagel anyone?) and the most delicious scones with curds and creams. The tea was ok. As a tea aficionado, there are better tea’s around the world, such as Fortnum’s or Lauduree.
My waiter for some reason or another, might have thought I was a food critic or I actually have no idea what he was thinking but he proceeded to bring me extra morsels. More sandwiches, special selections from the kitchen, including an apple tart with an apple that resembled a white bing cherry. Because I was taking my time to savor each bite, I started to get full! That didn’t stop him from asking me what my favorite sandwich was, to bring me another. It felt like a never ending stream of surprise bites! Each one better than the last!
A couple hours later, I admitted defeat. I could not finish my food and asked for a takeaway box and bag to pack the rest of my bites.
I don’t know when this happened, but when I left the takeaway bag felt a bit heavy. Unbeknownst to me there were some extra bites!
Although the staff didn’t know, yesterday was a day I was waiting for my entire life. They helped turned an extraordinary decision, on an ordinary day into a really special moment.
Thank you for helping this Elizabeth feel a bit like Eloise yesterday. The experience was appreciated and will not be forgotten.

I thought I did a review. I’ve been here many times over the years for Tea and lunch. My Family usually enjoys the Palm Court as part of their visits.
There was a time when things went down hill. We were very disappointed with the food and disgruntled employees. Then I heard it was sold. Now that it is totally renovated, and a new owner I assume, things have greatly improved.
If you like a special experience in historic surroundings you’ll enjoy a meal at the Palm Court.
Be sure to dress appropriately. I saw a man in a T-​Shirt and shorts turned away. Bring your wallet too. Meals are pricy!

I took my Mom for a Mother’s day Afternoon Tea on Sunday (⁵⁄₂₂) I am actually glad to have waited to go a week later because I’m sure it wouldn’t have been quite the same wonderful experience if we had gone on the actual holiday. Our reservation was for 1:45 but we had checked in early and were seated earlier which was very nice. The Plaza only serves Afternoon Tea until 4 I believe. When you first walk in you can smell and see the beautiful and grandiose arrangement of flowers (I believe they were lavender plants) and then you walk into the beautiful Palm Court which is iconic! No wonder why F. Scott Fitzgerald decided to showcase this in the Great Gatsby — or why Carrie left Big right out in the front! you feel as though you have been transported back in time. The ambiance is absolutely magical.
The surroundings accompanied with the service can make anyone feel like royalty. Being able to enjoy this and treat my mom reminds me of why I work! When you sit down in the lush velvet seat and listen to your glasses clink as you enjoy champagne in the middle of a Sunday afternoon, I remember that one of the perks of having a job is to be able to indulge in experiences such as this. You really feel as though you are treating yourself to an experience which is exactly what high tea should be. From the moment we arrived we were treated with the utmost hospitality and kindness. We had a cozy corner table (all of the seating seemed cozy and intimate).
Our server Fariz was a delight and catered to our every whim. We opted to have the New Yorker Tea with Rose and we were so pleased with our selection. Everything from the sandwiches to the fresh scones with jam, lemon curd and cream were amazing! The mini pastries were incredible and it’s as though you have tasted an entire bakery. I also like that there is exactly one of each for each person (sandwich, pastry, scone) so that you can taste everything on the menu.
Interestingly enough, one of the servers there Mamun, (who was also a pleasure!) knew my mom and even more extra special attention was paid to us. It made for such an enjoyable and memorable day with my mom. We also opted to try two of the teas: one was the Rooibos Des Vahines, a vanilla almond tea which was divine, the other was a tropical one and we both enjoyed them very much. The tea literally did not need any sweetner or milk, just enjoy it for what it’s worth. You can’t go to Afternoon Tea and not try the tea! The vanilla almond was my favorite one that our server Fariz recommended and complimented the scones and pastries.
We sat and enjoyed tea for about three hours in which we never felt rushed. I think we only had to actually pour own tea refill once — the servers constantly made sure you had a full glass. We were surrounded by lots of women who were enjoying tea before going off to do something fabulous in the city. I would love to do this again for a special event like before going wedding dress shopping (which many women were!), a special birthday, or bachelorette party. Afternoon Tea was something my mom had always wanted to do and I was so glad that it was everything she and I expected.

Our visit to the Palm Court was my boyfriend’s idea, it was a surprise for me for my birthday. We went around the holidays since my birthday is a week before christmas.
It was an great experience, my boyfriend and I look fairly young and they treated us as such which wasn’t the best thing but what can we expect? We had a plaza burger and chicken wings with the soy sauce and chili glaze.
The chicken wings were absolutely delicious! I would order that everyday OF MY LIFE. If you get one things please get that and share in my absolute JOY (the reason for these four stars!). The burger was pretty good too but it was second best to those wings. For dessert we had Cheese Gougères which were TERRIBLE, and when I say TERRIBLE I mean they are absolutely not my taste and I could not get a hint of cheese so, we had to order a Lady M Mille Crêpe Cake which was delicious.
Overalll, I gave this four stars because the ambiance was wonderful but not as high end as you would think (meaning you don’t have to dress-​up like crazy). While waiting for your reservation you can walk around the hotel and mall on the lower floors. It makes you feel like a movie star (I even saw a beautiful bride) –1 for the cheese gougères and the childlike treatment but hey that may have not been my taste and hey, we are pretty young.

Took my girlfriend here for birthday afternoon tea. Beautiful and luxurious space, we felt very princessy. I didn’t like how the waiter was trying to rush us. The tea was delicate and the sweets and savories were plentiful.

So I think this is something you have to do once because it’s high tea in the Plaza Hotel. It’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy it, because I did with the company I was with. But I wouldn’t put it anywhere near the top of the best high tea experiences I’ve had domestically or abroad.
The location is in the Plaza hotel. There are a few tall palms trees, hence the name. It’s dimly lit, and there is a central bar. Some lady was wearing a garden hat. Strange for the occasion, but it’s New York, so… anyways, we were seated at a table for 4, and we all ordered the New Yorker Tea ($ 70/​pp before tax/​tip). The service was fine, and the menu was extensive. There are different tea combinations you can get as well as other drinks, but this was the one we opted for.
The tea itself is decent. The pot of tea is quite large. I believe it filled my teacup at least 6 times. The scones were OK. These came with a jam, lemon curd, and clotted cream. These were warm. The next level up were the sandwiches (chicken salad, egg salad, ham and cheese, turkey, cucumber). I was disappointed by these. The bread was a bit stale and none of the ingredients stood out to me. They tasted pre-​made. Then the top level were the desserts. These were actually quite good, but again, nothing mind-​blowing. There was a pistachio macaron, cheesecake, chocolate cake, fruit tart, cranberry puff, lemon meringue pie.
At a certain point, the lights were dimmed significantly to let us know tea was no longer being served, but we were welcome to stay as long as we liked.
I felt overall, it was fine, but a bit pricy for what it is.

Two friends and I came here on Christmas day for the holiday afternoon tea. I phone a week in advance to book and inform them that one of our group (me) is a vegetarian. The woman assured me that that would be no problem and they could easily alter the savouries for me. The holiday afternoon tea is $ 90 for the food and a glass of champagne.
When we arrived there was a queue of people waiting. I told them that we had a 2:30 booking and after about 5 minutes they showed us to a very nice table. The place was busy but not completely full. After we’d been seated, our server came over and asked us what we were having. I found it kind of strange that he didn’t know we were having the holiday afternoon tea since I had specified that when we booked. After we told him that he must have remembered our booking because he asked which of us was the vegetarian. I told him it was me and he was very friendly and told me that would be no problem. We were asked which type of tea we wanted, and whether we wanted normal or rose champagne. I chose the English Breakfast tea, and my friends got mint tea and darjeeling. We all got regular champagne, which was delicious.
I don’t know whether they time it like this on purpose, but the food took quite some time to come out so we’d already finished our champagne. I think it would be nice to be able to enjoy both at the same time.
The food came out and here’s where the problem lies for me. They gave me a separate tiered tray since I’m vegetarian. I liked that, but when I saw the difference between my tray and the one that my non-​veg friends had I was disappointed. I had much less food and less variety. It also included PB sandwiches. I’m not impressed that I paid this much for PB&J.
Nice atmosphere, but overpriced and even moreso when you’re vegetarian.

I was recently in New York last week. I made it a point to try their afternoon tea. My friend and I got The Manhattan afternoon tea. The ambiance of the place is gorgeous.
The variety of the tea sandwiches, scones + desserts are pretty good. My favorite tea sandwich would probably be the chicken + cucumber sandwich. I got the Tropical Garden Tea (caffeine free and a tea infusion of mango, papaya and peach) and my friend got the Des Alizs.
It’s $ 70 per person, a little pricey but at the same time I think it’s worth a try when you’re in New York. Also it’s located at The Plaza Hotel.

Amazing experience at the Palm Court for Mothers Day Tea. So nice to not have to stress over what to order, you get a taste of everything! Food, staff, and drink were all 5 Star worthy. The potato with caviar and the Rose Dome dessert were amongst my favorites.

I came here with a party of 5 for high noon tea. Tea was delicious and just the right temp. I thought the tea sandwiches, pastries and scones were average. Specifically, their cucumber sandwich was soggy, bland egg salad, funny tasting turkey, and tuna not mixed well. The pastries were gorgeous but lacked taste. The scones were cold and tasted like they were mass produced. The lemon curd and Devonshire cream were delicious. The jam was a bit runny. Hostess staff were gracious, but wait staff were not attentive and unfriendly. Overall good experience due to the ambiance and obviously the company.

The Egg Benedict is so good! I don’t eat bacon so they replaced the bacon with smoked salmon. The salmon serving is generous. Close to melt in your mouth soft with just the right smokey taste without being too overpowering. The poached eggs are perfect. The yolk is runny, but not too runny until it floods your plate when you break it. The hollandaise sauce is thick and coated just enough to cover the egg. In short, this is hands down among the best egg Benedict I’ve ever had. At 26 dollars a piece, this is the most expensive amongst them all.
The décor is elegant in here being in The Plaza. You are served with attendants in suits. They are polite but not friendly. I feel there isn’t enough smile. Probably because I don’t dress up to the nines for brunch? But then, Carrie Bradshaw never did either.

I came here with girl friends for my bridal shower. We totally love it. The afternoon tea set was extremely delicious and decent. The interior design and decoration are very classic. The gentleman who served us was patient and nice. It was a pleasure experience.

Atmosphere: awesome.
Service: good.
Tea edibles: meh.
Tea: excellent.
The bottom line? It’s over priced, over hyped, slightly pretentious, but worth going. Why? Because it’s about the experience.
I took my twelve year old son here for his first tea ever today. He LOVED it. (He had the adult version, not the child’s.) He said it was so fun, and that made it all worthwhile. I don’t need to ever have tea here again; if you’re looking for a culinary experience, go elsewhere. If you’re looking for a memorable tea time in an iconic hotel, bingo.
Sandwiches: a step below meh rating. Scones: actually pretty tasty, and the lemon curd was excellent. Sweets: pretty to the eye, ok to the tastebuds, nothing special (and lots of artificial food coloring). Major carb fest, and I’ll be happy going bread free for a few days. Tea: rooibos was perfect, and the flowery, fruity kid’s tea that was recommended by our server was a hit. My son drank the whole pot (and we practically floated back down 5^th Ave, haha). Someone else posted a picture of the icky bathroom; it was perfectly spotless today and well maintained. Every employee at the hotel and the restaurant was friendly and welcoming.
If you’re gluten free, stay far, far away.
$ 70 per person, approx $ 13 tax, 18% gratuity. You can do the math.

RESTAURANT WEEK REVIEW
My friend and I wanted to go somewhere we could feel like classy ladies. we went with this NYC staple that neither of us had been to.
Did not feel fancy.
Food was boring, and felt overpriced even for restaurant week.
Service was okay, not remarkable.
I started with Shishito peppers (good, but not the best ive had), then veggie burger sliders (the vegetarian option, you had to ask), boring, and finished with the chocolate peanut tart. AMAZING.
The dessert was easily the highlight of the evening, though I did feel a bit like George Costanza eating a candy bar with a fork and knife.

I think palm court has the best afternoon tea in the big apple. Disregard the price level (70 dollar pp), it was flawless — decent presentation, tasteful flavor, great variety and attentive service.
My favorite part was the lavender oolong tea and the baked scone! While the scone was probably on the sweet side (with addition of lemon curd), combining with the tea made it just about the right level. Portion was huge as well (I skipped my breakfast/​lunch; yet still could not finish the whole thing. Plan to skip dinner as well) — one layer of scone, one layer of sandwich/​bagel, one layer of desserts/​sweets.
Guess the decoration definitely added to the price tag…

This is an iconic place to visit in NYC. The Plaza Hotel itself is gorgeous, as well as the Palm Court.
For one of my friend’s bachelorette, we decided to have afternoon tea at the famous Plaza Hotel near Central Park. Reservations are only accepted thirty days in advance. We called for a party of 9, which is then considered «an event» — anything over 8 guests. We all had a set pre-​fix afternoon tea menu for around $ 85 per person after tax and tip.
The High Tea at the Plaza lived up to all of our expectations and the staff made the afternoon very memorable for the very special bride to be. The table was beautifully set and the menu very pretty. They even customized the menu with the date of the event and the name of the bride-​to be.
The ambience, presentation, and service was top notch. For each two persons, the high tea consisted of a huge three tier platter presented with enough finger sandwiches and pastries that more than satisfied each pair. It was a beautiful presentation with great selection of sandwiches and scones and sweets. I was also impressed with the personalized touch added as they customized the menu for the bachelorette, and brought out some additional desserts for the bride to be.
A lot of people in our party couldn’t finish their platters, but containers and special Plaza bags are given to take home the leftovers in a stylish manner.
It is a once in a lifetime experience, and it is a nice to treat for a special occasion. It is everything you’ve heard of at the Palm Court and more. It’s worth the cost and is such a wonderful, memorable experience. We were made to feel like royalty especially, especially for the bride to be. We will never forget how great the staff were for making this a wonderful afternoon

We went to the Palm Court for afternoon tea over the summer at The Plaza Hotel.
The hotel itself is beautiful and you feel so fancy just being inside. We made reservations but still had to wait a little while for them to get our table ready for us. After we got seated we each chose our own tea selection and decided on The New Yorker Tea and The Champagne Tea.
The service was very prompt and our tea and food came out fairly quickly. Our server was very attentive and came around numerous times to make sure we were doing well and enjoying our food and tea. I loved the round multi tiered thing (for lack of word) that our food was presented on. It was beautiful and made everything look very tasty. Our afternoon food came with deliciously warm scones, bite sized sandwiches and sweet and savory treats. Everything was delicious and there was so much food neither of us could finish everything.
I’ve been to a couple high tea/​afternoon tea places in New York and Seattle and this place is by far my favorite in terms of ambience and food quality. A must try if you’re looking for a place in the city for afternoon tea!

The Palm Court is truly a heavenly destination for the girly girl. So it was befitting that I treated my nieces to afternoon tea at this eatery. The «court» is housed in the grand Plaza Hotel, home to Eloise, and right across from the magical Central Park.
When you approach the hotel you are greeted by the red carpet which sets the tone for the visit. My nieces were all giggles as they posed for their paparazzi aunt to take pictures capturing the precious moments we were having.
We entered the grand lobby and proceeded all giggles and smiles to the court. We were greeted by a gracious hostess who whisked us away to a table. While a reservation is recommended we were pleased to get a table.
The room itself was gorgeous! Drapery, plants, ambience, service and all. Our waiter was attentive and explained to us the tea options. My nieces elected to go for the Eloise tea. Honestly that girly part of me wanted in on the pink tea action but I refrained from ordering from the kids menu and went with the New York tea. I opted for the red tea and went with the Rooibos.
The food was wonderfully served and made the whole tea experience really feel like tea. All the pastries were freshly baked and flavourful. I particularly loved the cream for the sconces which added to their butterly rich taste. The waiter came and poured our tea for us which had my nieces squealing!
The little girl in me was more than satisfied to see my little angels so happy. They bagged their left over pastries, took their cotton candy, memories and smiles to go. We went downstairs to the Eloise store where they wrote a letter to Eloise… it truly made my little niece believe in fairytales.
This was a home run for this auntie. If you are looking for a memorable event be sure to visit. oh! Pay Eloise and the food court a visit.

Serbe endroit où ils servent deux types de brunch. J’ai pût prendre la version luxe a 35 € et j’en ai eu pour mon argent. C’est un peu cher mais pour un dernier jour a NYC c’est l’idéal. On vous sert les boissons et vous disposez d’un buffet haut de gamme ou tous les plats que vous souhaitez sont disponibles.