Afternoon Tea at The Rubens — Restaurant in London

Very disappointed in the service as this was the second visit, where we’ve had to wait ~30 mins for the food to be served. Other tables had their food served within 15 mins of being seated. The staff is friendly only when they finally acknowledge you. We visited on quite a quiet sunday afternoon (we were the 3rd table there). The table next to us came 10 mins after us and got their food served first. Our food was served 5-10 mins after.

Again, when the waiters came around in the middle of the meal, they asked the people sat at the table next to us if they wanted refills of the sandwiches and proceeded to skip us to go to another table. Our plates were clearly empty, so I don’t understand why we were skipped. We finished our meal and no one has come around to ask how things are going / if we would like any tea / pastry refills. There were about 6-7 wait staff that walked passed and approached other tables multiple times but never ours. Not sure if it’s cause we were seated in the corner or what, but I’d expect to at least be checked on once since they came to the table next to us multiple times.

The pastries selection was okay, nothing to write home about. The scones were decent. One of the sandwiches was in a mini bagel and while the smoked salmon filling was good, the bread itself was dry and hard. Only thing that we particularly liked was the chai cinnamon tea.

We also ran out of tea and when we tried to flag someone down, they ignored me and walked away. Finally managed to flag someone after 1 hour. Not sure if it’s a coincidence but it seemed like they were only waiting on tables that had champagne on their table.

Tried to flag someone down for the bill but was further ignored. Eventually I just went up to the front desk area to ask for the bill. Even at the end when we were paying the bill, compared to other tables, they weren’t pleasant to us. We heard ask others about how the food and service was, with us it was just “pay and leave”.

Quite disappointing overall experience for 60 pounds per person (+12.5% service charge). Sad to say that it seemed like everyone was thoroughly enjoying their time (with the service and experience), I honestly wished we had spent our money elsewhere. Hopefully others won’t have as bad of an...

My mother and I made a reservation at The Rubens as a treat for ourselves prior to a surgery I had scheduled the following day - this is definitely the place to go out to relax, enjoy each other’s company and live the good life on any occasion!

We booked through a provider that has since been phased out but did not realize or receive a notification from that third party, however the manager was extremely accommodating to us and managed to fit us in despite a busy service.

The service itself was impeccable and according to my mother, the scones were “the best she’s ever had,” which is high praise coming from a woman who’s perfected (the US Southern version of) biscuits from a young age.

In particular, I would like to call out our primary waiter, Fred, for his warmth, attention to detail and embodiment of true hospitality. He was knowledgeable, efficient and took us on the journey with him - I would certainly come back just to say hello to him, and for the full Rubens experience.

While more associated with the hotel than the tea room specifically, the doorman on the day of our visit (27 June) also deserves accolades as one of the most helpful, proactive and cheerful such gentleman as we’ve had the pleasure to meet (though we didn’t get his name, sadly!). I was struggling with mobility as I had a different surgery the week prior, and he helped with our bags, assisted me out of the cab and into the hotel/tea room and hailed and helped us into another for our return journey.

Throughout our visit, we felt like we were treated like hotel guests even if we were only visiting for tea. That’s something you don’t always find, and that’s why I am especially looking forward to...

I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon tea dining experience at The Rubens at the Palace.

The charming-yet-whimsical dining space overlooks Buckingham Palace. I found it fun to people watch as I drank my tea. I also appreciated the live piano music. One thing thing I want to point out is the seating! While there were traditional look-into-each-others-eyes style tables, there were also couch-style seats (pictured) which were a rather pleasant way to share food.

As a gluten free individual, it can be tricky to get access to good quality scones, and thoughtfully prepared patisseries. Fortunately for me, both were in order on the menu. While the scones were slightly less fluffy than what I usually favour, they were still delicious. They also paired beautifully with the raspberry jam (a standout), clotted cream, and delightful lemon curd. Honestly, that stuff was stupendous. As an added bonus, there was even a savoury cheese scone. The patisseries were fun, rich, and inventive. If you prefer more traditional desserts, rather than fruity and fresh concoctions, they may not be to your liking. However, I really enjoyed them. Especially that mango cake thing... Wow. I had 6.

I need to explicitly highlight the superb service. Angelina went above and beyond to ensure our meal was nothing short of excellent. She didn't even comment or bat an eye when I ordered multiple scone refills (and I had a total of 12... seriously). If you're lucky enough to have her during your dining experience, consider yourself lucky.

In short, The Rubens is an excellent place to choose for your afternoon tea. There is attention to detail all around, and I highly...