My fiance and I and my family went for afternoon tea. Paid upfront with our reservation. We were able to choose a glass of sparkling wine or a cocktail, a tea (they would refill and you could pick another tea if you wanted to try multiple).
They brought out two of each thing. The plate of desserts were on top and the savory bites were in the middle. Biscuits on the bottom. All of it was delicious. We were all surprised how full we got with all these tiny bites, we didn't even have dinner!
The service was fantastic, attentive and helpful and kind.
Was recently here for a Sunday afternoon tea. Staff were very attentive and checked on us regularly. Several varieties of tea were offered, including black, green, and white teas. An assortment of sandwiches were presented along with scones and desserts. Everything was aesthetically pleasing and elegant. We were offered a refill on tea. The only thing I would love to see is being offered additional scones or sandwiches. But overall I would return for afternoon tea.
very nice cheese plate
very good lattes
dated feel tho
clean bathrooms.
Craft cocktails with an Asian theme, like the plum whiskey old fashioned or the Empress martini. Both were smooth, refreshing and unique. Complimentary wasabi peas a nice touch. Relaxed but slightly upscale atmosphere where you can have a quiet conversation with friends. Wonderful staff.
Everything are within our expectations, the environment, service, tea, and the food. Waiter explained the food well, tea are fine tasting. The seats are comfortable at their lobby lounge. Portions are just right, not too much, not too less. 3 layers with savoy on top, sweet in the middle and scones at the end, just as the British standard. An artist was playing harp while we enjoy our tea which goes very well to the relaxing afternoon.
Visited empress for a lovely tea experience but I would also recommend going here for a drink as well. Located in the Mandarin hotel, it's a nice place to hang, lounge and enjoy a refreshing beverage. The location is close to the ever developing wharf area and the Potomac river so there's a lot to see in the area as well.
This is easy for me. I have been a fan of the fan for more than a quarter of a century. Starting with Oriental Hong Kong, I am forever a lover of everything Mandarin Oriental. Empress is essentially the lobby lounge of Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C.(an only business underrated at five-star - and I had been to all of her competitions).
If you are there, service is feather-touch as usual. Food tends to have southeast Asian choices - my advice will be to go for it. Drinks are worth every penny. Ask and you may get surprised. Enjoy!
![5]( "Recensione")
My girl friends and I decided to celebrate our first outing, post-vax, with an afternoon tea experience. We were looking to celebrate everything we had missed in 2020; birthdays, wedding, babies, graduation, etc. We had many options to choose from around the DC/Northern VA area. One person in the group mentioned that they had a great afternoon tea experience at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok and suggestes that we try out the DC location. Excited and eager to see everyone again, I went ahead and booked our party of 4 for Sunday at 1:30pm. The next step for me was obviously to check out reviews and social media postings (I usually would have checked this first). Though there were mixed reviews regarding service and menu items, my bit of doubt I had of it being a good experience was reassured when Paul gave me a call the day before our reservation. I appreciated that call, Paul was very informative and made sure any dietary restrictions would be accommodated for.
The day of our reservation, I was greeted by the hostess and Paul as I entered the lobby and to the Empress Lounge. I had a great conversation with the hostess and Paul came over to greet me as well, reassuring that this day would be a great experience. The rest of the party came, with the last person coming about 20 minutes later than our 1:30pm reservation. Endi, who would be our sever for the rest of our experience, headed over to our table to go over the menu and the sample tea that was displayed at the table. He was very detailed and it helped us understand what to expect during today's afternoon tea experience. Our tower eventually came out and again, Endi explained what each item was and then offered to take a picture of the group to capture our celebration.
While sipping on our tea, and enjoying the bites, we were offered hot water to refill our tea. Additionally, sparkling wine/champagne was given to us to celebrate our day at the Mandarin.
Overall, we had a great experience. The ambience resembles a luxurious afternoon with a harpist playing redenitions of songs we all were familiar with. The entire afternoon was pleasant and the service was impeccable! Safety precautions were still being taken by the staff at the Empress Lounge and the entire hotel. I would recommend heading over to the Empress Lounge for an afternoon tea experience when there is a need to celebrate or enjoy quality time with friends and family.
Nice and friendly service. Being in main lobby the restaurant is a bit awkward for celebrations.
Beautiful and tasty tea service with a harpist for entertainment
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes