Courtyard Tea Room — Restaurant in Boston

Seriously disappointed in this place. Made a reservation for their afternoon tea sitting which allotted a 90min window for food and drinks before they had to set up for the next session. This normally would be ample time to enjoy yourself, except we unfortunately were not served until 30 mins after we had been sat. Our table was completely passed over until I finally flagged down a server and explained that we were still waiting. By this time all other tables were already moving on to their main course. This delay meant we were rushed through the entirety of our stay, to the point of having to box up a good portion of our food at the end, while the staff tried to usher us out of the room. I mean seriously, mid-bite was given a box and told to take the food with us when we leave. I was also not aware that we were limited to a single choice of tea during our sitting. An apparent rule which our server failed to inform us of until after we had already ordered. When I requested a new pot of tea, I was then informed that ‘customers are usually only provided a single pot’. I have never been at a tea sitting where they limited the amount of tea you were allowed to order, and nowhere did I see this mentioned when booking. $65 for a single pot of tea, subpar food selections, and a 90min timer that starts ticking regardless of when the staff actually bothers to serve you? No thanks. The only saving grace of this entire experience was the room itself. It’s a beautiful space, and although only two tables actually overlook the courtyard, it offers a nice view. Overall I do not recommend this place if you are expecting a quality tea serving, or even just a relaxing afternoon. Would only suggest coming here if you’re just looking for a cute photo op - but even for that I would say there are several other tea house options in Boston, take your...

Tucked inside the Boston Public Library, The Courtyard Tea Room feels like stepping into another time. The tall windows, marble arches, and soft hum of quiet conversation make it one of the most peaceful places in the city to sit down for afternoon tea. It’s elegant without being stuffy.

The service stands out. The staff knows their teas, gives clear explanations without overselling, and manages to stay attentive even when the room is full. I went during a busy seating, and while it got a little rushed at times, the team handled it gracefully. If you want a slower, more relaxed experience, go earlier or later in the day.

The tea selection is excellent—high-quality loose-leaf blends brewed perfectly. The savory items were the highlight for me: lobster on brioche, smoked salmon on pumpernickel, and chicken salad on marble rye. Each bite was balanced, fresh, and well thought out.

The scones arrived warm, with lemon curd, raspberry preserves, and clotted cream—all spot on. This part lived up to the reviews that call it “the best in Boston.” I agree.

Where things dipped a bit was the dessert tier. The sweets looked beautiful but lacked the same spark as the rest of the meal. The macarons and cake were fine, but not memorable. I’ve seen other reviews mention this, and I have to agree—the presentation was great, the flavor just didn’t land the same way.

At around $68 per person, it’s not a casual outing, but for the setting and service, it feels fair. You’re paying for an experience, not just a meal.

Overall, The Courtyard Tea Room delivers on atmosphere, service, and presentation. It’s the perfect spot for a quiet celebration or a refined afternoon with someone special. The savory course and scones steal the show. The desserts? A missed note on an otherwise elegant...

The service was exceptional, servers were very attentive and food came promptly The atmosphere was great, it is a pleasant room and the menus come in books which was cute. Food was quite good, very much aligns with a classic British tea, with some interesting twists, and there was enough in total I was satisfied. The Sultanas Scone was sweet and a good consistency, came with a nice lemon curd and cream The Yorkshire Pudding Sirloin was tasty, the steak was great and the pudding was bready and fun. It came with a bit of seasoned mayo which I personally don't love Smoked Salmon Mousse was nice, great flavor, good amount of mousse Maine lobster roller was my favorite savory item, just a perfect mini lobster roll with some cucumber bits and not too much mayo. I would happily eat 10 Open Cucumber sandwich was a standard version of a staple. Not exceptional compared to other teas, but it's not supposed to be. Egg Salad was OK, nothing objectively wrong just too creamy for me I think.

For desserts: The Strawberry Cannoncini was nice and small, the pastry was flaky but could have been moister. It was well filled. The Alfajores was like a little shortbread toffee cookie, very interesting and fun, loved it The Earl Grey Panna Cotta was excellent, it had a little tasty cookie, some cream, and then an early grey mousse which was interesting.

Overall, at 72 bucks it was a little more than I'd like, but the exceptional service and atmosphere coupled with the good food make it worth going to...