Grand Salon at Baccarat Hotel — Local services in New York

The Baccarat Hotel is offering the best afternoon tea in NYC right now. Consistently offering great food and tea, the Baccarat is leading with their fresh and luxe afternoon tea service.

The Baccarat Hotel is located in Midtown and serves afternoon tea in their Grand Salon.

Baccarat Hotel is a luxury hotel from the well-known French crystal company so it’s not surprising that the entire Grand Salon is floor to ceiling crystals. Multiple chandeliers, serveware, and decor are all crystal.

To get to the Grand Salon, take the elevator from the dark, moody ground floor entrance to the second floor.

Everyone at the table orders their own afternoon tea so the pricing is per person.

The three courses consist of tea sandwiches followed by scones with clotted cream and jam, and finally, the sweets.

The concept of afternoon tea was originated by a Duchess in England who wanted a small meal in the afternoon between lunch and dinner. This mid-afternoon meal was made of small bites of food with tea and she would invite friends to join her.

There is the King Louis XV (a pared down version of afternoon tea with 2 savories, a scone, and 2 sweets), Prince of Wales (this is what I ordered and it’s the classic three courses of food), Sultan Abdulazis (this is their Turkish Tea for Two), and Tsar Nicholas II (an extravagant caviar tea with Champagne starting at $400).

My fiancé and I ordered The King Louis XV and The Prince of Wales and it was the best move for sure. King Louis is their lowest priced and a simplified afternoon tea for $65 per person. The price goes up if you add a mocktail or Champagne to your tea service.

The Prince of Wales is their traditional, classic afternoon tea on a three-tiered tray that costs $90 per person.

Call at least 24 hours in advance for a reservation. For any afternoon tea, it’s always best to make a reservation or you’ll be turned away. The afternoon tea is served everyday from 1PM – 4PM. Please note that on Mondays and Tuesdays, the Prince of Wales (the traditional afternoon tea) is the only...

Tldr; excellent ambiance, very good food, booking error, and irresponsible and dangerous with their service.

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We made a 1pm reservation for Afternoon Tea a day before. When we arrived, the table was not ready and we were not seated until ~1:15pm. When given menus, we didn't see afternoon tea options, they asked again if we had a reservation, and I showed my reservation confirmation on my phone. The server returned and said they could not serve us it, as the kitchen had run out. We wound up staying 3 hours and saw others were still being served afternoon tea throughout the afternoon, so that was bizarrely frustrating.

The two of us shared: La Table D'hote (Imperial Salmon, Red Snapper, Crème brûlée), Cheese Plate, Tuna Tartare, and Baba Au Rhum. Wonderful complexity of flavors, and beautiful plating.

I'd put in the online reservation that we had a nut allergy, and we asked the waiter to confirm nothing had nuts with the kitchen. He said he thought no but would confirm and note it with the chef. Then the first thing we were served (the cheese plate) had nuts in two places! There were both walnuts plated in the middle of the cheese board, and 2 cranberry nut rolls (where the nuts hidden on the inside) were in the side of breads. Given the lethal severity of nut allergy, and the high price of the venue, this was infuriating. Additionally, we had a difficult time getting the waiter's attention about the issue. Fortunately, my friend with the nut allergy did not consume any of the foods with nuts.

The food itself was all good, with highlights including the dates (from the cheese plate) the salmon starter, and the sauce on the red snapper. All of the food was plated beautifully, adorned with wild flowers, equisite colors, and some requiring pouring sauces. We also had an unexpectedly pleasant and eventful conversation with the people sitting nearest us. This is a credit to the beautiful yet relaxed ambiance of the room, that facilitated the...

On the evening of October 29th, I visited the Grand Salon at Baccarat Hotel. I have been a frequent customer for many years, and I really enjoy the staff and the atmosphere there. Yesterday, I went to celebrate a friend's birthday. When I looked at the menu, I noticed that the price for wine was listed at $125 at the top of the menu, but it did not specify whether that was for a glass or a bottle. I informed the staff that I wanted one bottle, assuming the price was for a bottle at $125. However, when the bill came, it was $225 per bottle.

I asked the staff about this, and they said they were not aware of the pricing. I requested to see evidence showing that the bottle price was indeed $225, and they explained that they had just updated the menu and it hadn't been released yet. I find this unfair to customers and consumers, as most places—whether Michelin-starred or five-star hotels—clearly separate the prices for glasses and bottles, making it very clear for customers.

I believe that the Grand Salon at Baccarat Hotel lacks fairness towards consumers and customers, which I strongly disagree with. They should correct and improve this issue. Furthermore, they informed me that there was a charge for a crystal glass, which I did not request; the staff brought it to me. I never asked for that crystal glass, yet I was charged for it. Additionally, a glass of wine priced at $125 cannot logically correspond to a bottle priced at $225; it should be at least $500, as I have consumed a lot of wine and am familiar with the prices.

I think it is unfair to consumers, and I seek justice in this matter. I feel taken advantage of, and the menu is quite ambiguous. I hope that the company will address this issue and treat me and my friends...