Palm Court Reviews

Beautiful hotel and the Palm Court is amazing! The staff were attentive (though surprisingly not as attentive as at the Langham) and the food was traditional High Tea yumminess! The lobster and shrimp salad on a brioche bun was especially nice as well as the lemon poppy seed loaf. Overall, it was a lovely experience in a magnificent hotel.

Underwhelming experience. Our table setting was uninviting. The food was horrible and sparse selection. We left more than half of the food. The only items that tasted good were the scones, lemon curd and preserves. Scones were shaped as a ball....strange-not the classic scone. Afternoon tea at the Drake is not worth the money. We have been to many Afternoon Tea and this was the only one that offered a poor selection. Our male server was not attentive and felt rushed.

The Palm Court is a glamorous room that offers an exquisit tea experience. I was there with my husband and would love to go back with a girlfriend!

I recommend coming to the Palm Court for their Afternoon High Tea service. They are able to accommodate allergies and dietary restrictions in their mini sandwiches and cookies. My friend is vegetarian and gluten free, and her food looked just as fantastic as mine. We sat next to the fountain with a harpist playing in the background. Plan on being here for 1.5-2hrs. Just a nice experience that makes you feel a little special.

Fabulous, Fabulous. The setting is so beautiful as is The Drake Hotel. We started with a fancy cocktail before starting on tea. There were four different sandwiches two for each person plus two mini scones each. However, you can ask one time for additional ones. There were 6 or 8 mini desserts. Lots of tea choices also. The service was friendly and excellent. Loved it all.

Took grandma to dinner there while in Chicago for the weekend. Called ahead and they were able to seat us about an hour later on a Saturday night. The service was good and the food very good. A much older crowd in general, but a good mix of people. Most people were in slacks, but our crew were in shorts and casual clothes, but we didn't feel out of place. Dinner came with bread and soup/salad. Many steak and seafood options. Everyone enjoyed their dinner. I had the prime rib, which was very good, although the French Onion soup was average. I would recommend this place for a slightly upscale dinner option.

We celebrated our 1st Valentine's Day as a married couple at the Palm Court for tea. Everything was beautiful, the music, room, food, and service!

I personally, did not eat here. But the picture you see of the flowers and the fountain, is outstanding. Very grand and it is attached to the lobby. Great for picture taking.

We've been to tea here several times before, but they used to bring as many replenishments as you wanted at no charge. We went to the Holiday Tea in the back room, Club International, which was far quieter than the main room and was decorated beautifully for the holidays. The live harpist and carolers made the experience lovely. The Nutcracker Tea was delicious, but we were disappointed that for over $200 for three people, we all left hungry.

I went to the Holiday Tea here last week with a couple other people and we were disappointed. I have been to several afternoon teas in the US and while living in Europe and this was by far the most disappointing. The atmosphere was stuffy, they overcharged us for our tea, which is already on the pricey side. The food served with tea was ranged from a few treats that were alright, but I found them mostly to be sub-par. The process for checking in for tea and being seated had a sensation similar to being part of a herd of cattle. Overall if you are looking for a nice afternoon tea in Chicago, I would suggest going elsewhere. While the venue is beautiful, I have had much better experiences at other teas in Chicago and elsewhere.

After several visits to this upscale high tea at the prestigious Drake Hotel on the Magnificent Mile in beautiful downtown Chicago, this was our first disappointment. The tiered tea tray was fish heavy and lemon heavy. Normally a nice selection of finger sandwiches and cakes, this time was very one dimensional. Our friendly and gracious waiter almost made up for the diminished food choices.

We were staying at the hotel as part of our USA tour over New Year so decided to splash out for tickets to the Palm Court NYE party. We had the best NYE ever. It was expensive but I feel we got value for money. It was stylish and spacious we didn’t feel we were packed in and had our own table. Everything was included in the ticket price, you could have anything you wanted to drinks, cocktails, wine, champers etc . The food was a series of delicious bites including lobster, brought round by waiters, then there was a separate room where they had oysters, sushi, steak and lots more, desserts were again brought to the table. There was a live jazz band that encouraged everyone onto the dance floor and they entertained all night. It was our best New Year’s Eve ever and we are in our sixties!

Service was excellent and so was the food. Only thing that surprised me, is on their website it says Afternoon Tea is $40, but when you get their its really $45.

The high tea service was enjoyable but the room is small and there is a lot of traffic from the banquet room entrance in the corner of the room. The tea service itself is fantastic! They take great care of you. Juju recommend to plan to tip above average in thanks. The offering is a bit slim but accommodating. The finger sandwiches are average in type and quality, the pastries were a bit disappointing in taste and quality. The tea selection is limited and could be improved. But the bar service was sizable. The price for high tea service was a bit lower than of a place with higher quality high tea so this suited the price point and with all in consideration it was an enjoyable time. It is Chicago after all.

Delicious sandwiches and scones- did not disappoint my high expectations. Princess tea offered for my girls-- was nice to have a discount on children's tea setting.

Tea at The Drake was an absolute delight. We selected our teas and in just a few minutes, our (notably pleasant) server brought out tiers of goodies: scones and poppy seed muffins to start followed by cucumber sandwiches, salmon tarts, chicken salad tarts, and roast beef sandwiches. For dessert we had some sort of blueberry parfait (my dad would have loved it!), perfect macarons, and dark chocolate tarts. If I had to choose my favorite items, I would have to say the macarons and lemon poppy seed muffin took the cake. Afternoon tea at The Drake is what Sunday dreams are made of. Modified from my food and travel website, therosetable.com.

This has been a long standing tradition ion for our family. This year while the room was beautiful, food was just OK. Service was abisimal. Our server was flippant and MIA during most of our time and when we asked another server to find her she still did not reappear for 15 minutes. We will be looking at the other Chicago venues for our next tea.

I really liked this place, I stumbled upon it by accident one evening while walking around the hotel. The band was playing some jazz and there were older couples dancing, it was quite lovely. Great place to see people enjoying their time

I have been going to the Drake for tea for many, many years. I had not been there is a couple of years and went yesterday with three generations of my family. We had a reservation for 3:00, we arrived at 2:40 and got in line to check in. We reached the check in person at 3:50 at which time our party of 8 was seated. We then waited 15 more minutes for a menu. The staff person was pleasant and nice. The food however was not. The scones were literally half the size they were before. They were also stale as were the finger sandwiches. My guess is that they had been prepared and left out for hours. I realize that the tradition of family outings for tea at the Drake during the holiday is so strong that this dismal review will not dissuade (but I would suggest researching other options). HOwever, if you choose to do this, I would suggest you not go hungry and you be prepared to wait and eat mediocre food. This was a Huge disappointment

The tea on Saturdays here at The Drake is incredible, and the most fun I have had in a while. The harp player plays the Happy Birthday Song and other classics. The tea is tasty and the treats with the tea they offer are really fun and good tasting. The overall experience is what they are best at. I would recommend this experience for any birthday girl .

High tea in the Palm Court at the Drake Hotel offers a tasty multitiered selection of finger sandwiches and sweets along with fine teas from around the globe. The experience unfolds to the soft chords of live harp music on certain days, but always in this majestic court once visited for tea by such figures as the tragic but much beloved Princess Diana. I came to tea with my parents after a visit with a neurosurgeon. There is nothing like tea and family to lift the spirits after discussing the potential removal of a tumor at the center one's brain. It restores the soul, soothes the tumultuous mind. "A cup of tea would restore my normality," wrote Douglas Adams in the screenplay for Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I think he was right, and recommend afternoon tea in the Drake's Palm Court for a soothing respite from the vicissitudes of life's adventures.

This review is likely out of line because most of the waiters appeared on the ball, but we got unlucky: 1. Seated and after ordering waited 40 minutes for anything - including water. 2. Food arrived over an hour after seating. 3. Waiter spent most of his time socializing with other staff off to the side. We'll never chance this place again.

Reviewed several places in Chicago for high tea. This place looked great in all the reviews, the atmosphere was beautiful but the food was disappointing. The tea it’s self was not god quality and the sandwich’s and deserts were dry and crispy like they had been sitting out for several hours not freshly made.it was over $50 person. Very poor value.

While I've heard nothing but great things from others about this establishment, it saddens me to hear how they treat POC. I recently came across a video that's circulating around social media where a young lady faced discrimination while coming in to celebrate her birthday. She was placed in the back of the restaurant, near the restrooms despite having a reservation. From her words, she and her party were the only people of color in attendance at that time and no other party was seated in the that same area and she had to demand a better table. No person should be treated so poorly that they feel they're being treated differently based on the color of their skin. That brief encounter has now placed a sour taste in my mouth and hinders me from speaking positive words about this business.

My husband, 12 year old daughter and myself had afternoon tea here. It is very beautiful and surprisingly not that intimidating. The food was delicious and they will bring you more of anything you would like (sandwiches, scones, etc.) . Our teas were delicious. Our daughter really enjoyed the experience and the younger ones can have the Princess Tea which is a little less expensive, $25 I think for 12 and under. We were able to be there when a harpist was playing and that was a special treat. I do recommend making a reservation. I made ours on Open Table.

Not the experience we were hoping for. Very overrated and over priced ‘Holiday Tea’ Normally $45 but $52 as it’s Christmas. It was over crowded, they pack you in like sardines to eat stale underwhelming finger sandwiches and scones that tasted nothing like scones. We had no idea what we were eating. The pumpkin quiche tasted, well, like vomit. The tea was cold and really not much choice. The room was cold with zero atmosphere. We were there 1.5hrs and the harpist played for probably 10 mins. No music other than the mock Dickensian quartet, that of course you have to tip if they sing at your table. There were 5 of us and our bill with tip was close to $370. We left hungry and very disappointed. Will not be doing it again or recommending. Very touristy, the photos on the hotels website make it look spectacular.... it’s not. Very disappointed!

It has dinner , drink , live band and dancing all in one place . I just wish Chicago has more places like this place . It is a place everyone should checkout on their visit to Chicago.

We had a free afternoon and decided to experience afternoon tea at the Palm Court. We will enjoy next time but not by happenstance. Lovely room. Diverse selection of teas. Tasty sweets and finger sandwiches. Attentive service.

Everything was awesome, food , tea , music, service. The table setting and room was beautiful. Fresh flowers though out the restaurant. A very special High Tea!

We often stay at the Drake, but this was first time we experienced the dancing and drinks at the Palm Court. The swing band was fantastic and the drinks and wine available at the bar were wonderful. We loved it so much we are traveling back to Chicago to dance at the Palm Court next weekend.

Let me start by saying that we have done afternoon tea at many different tea rooms in many cities over the years so I have some other experiences to compare this one to. I'll start with the postives. The room and setting is gorgeous. I requested a table by the fountain and we were seated there. Beautiful fountain and centerpiece! Another positive was our server. He was very nice and charming. I saw no other server during the hour and half that we were there so I feel bad that he was working the room by himself. There were tables that needed bussing and they just stayed dirty for a while since it appeared he had no help. Sorry to say, that's it on the positives! Now for the negatives. Their website and even the confirmation emails that I recieved stated the price for afternoon tea is $40. However, the menu in the restaurant states that it's $45. I know that's not a huge difference but it might be to someone who is paying for a large group! Tea service includes tea, scones, sandwiches and desserts. The tea menu offers a good selection of teas to choose from and they did have sugar cubes and cream if you wanted. The food was just kind of pitiful (especially for that price). We receiced a cucumber sandwich, an egg salad (dry), a curried chicken salad (dry), a ham roll up(soggy) and a lobster salad roll. The lobster roll was the star by a long shot. The scone was served with jam, clotted cream and lemon curd. The scone was one of the worst I've ever had! It was cold, dry and tasteless. It would not even stay together to put any of the condiments on. The dessert treats were a dulce de leche maccaroon, a chocolate rasberry bar and a mini strawberry loaf. The strawberry loaf was dry as a cracker! The maccaroon was pretty good. Usually, the desserts are the highlight but these were so disappointing! You can have extras of anything you like but why bother! Chicago has many other tearoom options to choose from. We have had tea at The Peninsula before and it was excellant in every way! It's much pricey but so worth it! We just expected so much more from an upscale hotel such as, The Drake.

I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl — first with my aunt and mother — later with other family and friends. The waiters are seasoned and kind. The teas always lovely. The china is nearly the same as when I was small. Now there are more couples, more business gatherings as the setting is quiet. The harpist provides lovely music, and the conversation is in low murmurs. Around the holidays, everyone gets dressed. Little girls in their finest! Take time to linger!

I've had High Tea from Hong Kong to London. So we were looking forward to Holiday Tea at the Palm Room, the Drake Hotel in Chicago. Our reservation was for 2:00 pm, and we had to wait for almost half an hour to be seated. We were seated at a table next to the water fountain, which was a nice touch. The waiter appeared and rattled off what was on the tea menu and asked us which tea we wanted. Mistakenly, instead of saying we'd like to spend a moment looking and decide, we quickly picked a tea, he took the menu and departed with it. We would have liked to spend a little more time reading about the different teas available. A wonderful sample of finger foods and pastries was presented along with our tea. I ordered the English Black Tea, and my wife ordered a lighter selection. My tea pot had the tea on the bottom of the pot. Now, I like very strong tea, so this did not present a problem to me. However, I am used to a server coming around with hot water, and asking if I would like to add some hot water to my teacup; to cut the strength of the tea in my teacup. This did not happen. Therefore, this would present a problem to someone who does not like strong tea. My wife's tea had very small, fine tea leaves that floated on top of the teapot water, and went right though the tea strainer. She had large amounts of tea leaves sitting in the bottom of her teacup. She does not like strong tea; however her's became stronger as time passed with no offer of hot water to pour into her teacup or to refresh the teapot. The purpose of High Tea (Holiday Tea) is to experience Tea, with supporting finger foods and pastries. The tea portion of our experience was disappointing.disappointing.

I've enjoyed High Tea at other restaurants and in other cities, Palm Court did not live up to the hype. Food was average at best and service was awful. Servers were scarce during our entire visit and we got the impression that they would enjoy their work more if it weren't for the customers. The room was lovely, but almost empty. Paying $80.00 for that experience was not money well spent, very disappointed.

1930's music and dancing-not really swing, but with a visit. Drinks start in the ten dollar rang. You may reserve a table.

I have to admit I’ve only been for tea here 3 times since moving to Chicago 20 years ago but I’m ashamed to say I want back after my first experience. First time sandwiches were dry and clotted cream was whipped cream but tea and ambiance were good. Second time was a few years ago over the Christmas/Holiday season and all the decorations didn’t make up for the crowded cafeteria feel but the scone (there was one each) were good. My friend unable to eat the other offerings was charged extra when she requested a second scone. Fast forward to September 2019 where the tea (3 pots meant for an individual served for each group of 4) was bitter. One of the savoury offerings was roast beef on what appeared to be a mini onion bun -doughy and definitely not dainty - roast beef sliders anyone? The English scone (I cut a small piece off what was already a very small little circle to taste) was reminiscent of a Pillsbury biscuit (no offence to Pillsbury) and being British born made me want to insist they remove the description from the menu. Sorry talented harpist but two hours of strumming does not relax me. Our group (14 we are usually 20 in September and venue probably played a part in number reduction) was offered more of everything savoury and sweet at no extra charge. We had lots of stuff leftover and a few did take it but most weren’t remotely tempted. I know the cost is more but Peninsula Hotel is a much better bang for your buck.

I have been to many different tea rooms, but this is by far the best! The atmosphere is elegant and lovely, the service is wonderful and the selection of tea sandwiches is plentiful.Tea at the Drake (Palm Court) has always been on my "to do" list and I'm happy to say it was everything I expected from the elegant dining room to the harpist. This is a very special experience that you won't forget!

I have been coming to tea time for years. It used to be so easy. Didn’t need reservations and you could just order tea. There was always a live harpist. I have not been for a few years. Now you need reservations. They now require you to buy the package, which includes tea sandwiches and desserts. I used to be able to have tea time for $30.00 or under. Now if I want to go, there is no choice but to spend around $150.00 for a package. The tea snacks are good but I can only eat so many sweets and little sandwiches. Now they only offer the live harpist on weekends. I miss the flexibility they used to offer. It’s still a nice experience.

We do teas. We visit lots of tea houses, tea tastings, tea events. This tea just may have been our all time favorite. The tea never stopped flowing. The food was lovely in presentation and taste. They would bring you more. We sat by the bubbling and soothing fountain with the beyond gorgeous flower display. The talented harpist was a grand feature. The service was outstanding. We spent the most delightful, relaxing, pampering afternoon. There were women, couples, men, people of all ages sharing in the delight. It is a must visit.

My four friends and I have looked forward to our traditional annual high tea at the Drake Hotel Palm Court for several years, but after today's disappointing experience I doubt we will return. The quality of the food has gone down dramatically, with some choices even being tasteless, yet the cost remains the same high price. Our server never checked on us, except to bring us the bill, the decorations were lackluster, and there was no coat check. What has happened to our special annual event? There are other lovely holiday high tea options that we will definitely explore next year.

We have been waiting for the right day to come and check out the afternoon tea experience at Palm Court inside the Drake Hotel. It did not disappoint. Very friendly, attentive waiter, huge selection of teas, fantastic tower of savory and sweet goodies to snack on. A great time for everyone and would highly recommend.

I was prepared to overlook the dinginess of the hotel corridors and bathrooms as old-fashioned charm, but the afternoon tea was unforgivable. The scones are not scones, they are biscuits - think Popeye's. The financiers have none of the texture or flavor of nut flour - think prepackaged muffin tops. The sandwiches are insipid at best. The worst is the veggie substitute - bitter eggplant on dry bread. In a city of great bakeries, there's no excuse for how bad the desserts are: the macarons are bland. the choux pastry is stale. the raspberry mousse has the consistency of Elmer's paste. At least we had a good laugh. We kept predicting the next thing would have to be better than the last, but it never was. So thumbs-up for consistency. I am ashamed to have paid $57 per person for such terrible food. If you read this review and repeat our error, shame on you.

I haven't been to afternoon tea in years but wanted to share the experience with my 10 year old granddaughter. We made a reservation for 1 pm on a hot Thursday afternoon in September. We were met at the front entrance by a delightful bellman who teased my granddaughter about being a princess in disguise and took our picture under the hotel sign! Sweetest thing ever! The hotel was as elegant and service as attentive as I remembered. My major complaint is the food. I was quite disappointed! Both the variety and quality was NOT at all what I'd remembered. The finger sandwiches and scones especially were bland and DRY and didn't seem fresh. The price for an adult was $45 before tax and tip. Even with the price for the 'princess' being $20, the food was very unimpressive. Not at all what I'd remembered from past years.

Afternoon tea is a lovely experience at Drake's Palm Court on Chicago 's Magnificent Mile. Food and atmosphere are exceptional! Quite a relaxing time! Azmir is a fantastic server! Looking forward to my next visit!

Lovely Christmas Tea today with my daughter. Excellent service. The scones were fresh and delicate and the sweets were tasty too. We were seated right next to the harpist and that was beautiful. The lobby was bustling with Christmas guests but we had no problem talking or hearing as another reviewer did. Tea at the Drake in the Palm Court is a wonderful tradition.

I really enjoyed the afternoon tea at the Palm Court in the Drake Hotel. The setting is beautiful. The price is reasonable for afternoon tea. The service was good. The sandwiches and dainty desserts were delicious. The tea was soothing.

So lovely. A little crowded but that is probably because it is so popular. Service was extraordinary (thanks Giselle and George) and the food was good with a few exception (perhaps because it was a Halloween menu) Will go back soon.

My wife and I are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary in Chicago. We enjoyed afternoon tea at the Palm Court of The Drake Hotel. It was plentiful, fresh, tasteful and elegant. We reminisced about our honeymoon in London England, where we enjoyed a similar experience, minus the grumpy London waiters. The scones were particularly delicious as they were fresh and perfectly crafted. There was more than enough sandwiches and desserts. Our tea was just right. The setting is lovely. The attention shown us by the waiters was perfect. A memorable occasion for us both.

The Drake Hotel is a grand ol' Dame. You will love the history of the place as well as this gorgeous lobby which is just off to the left of the main lobby as you enter the hotel. The ballrooms and other function rooms are well kept and beautiful as well as the dining rooms.

I went here to celebrate my birthday with friends and it was an inspired choice. As stated in other reviews, the tea was excellent--a variety of hot tea, tasty finger food, and elegant surroundings. However, the real high point of the afternoon was the history tour of the hotel with Amy. For one hour we learned about the building of the hotel, what it was like to stay there in the 20's & 30's, famous guests, executive suites, and ghosts. We also saw a lot of "behind the scenes" stuff, including a kitchen that is probably bigger than my house! Amy sure knew her stuff & gave us an enjoyable tour. Highly recommend.

We had a lovely time catching up with a close friend over tea. The setting and ambiance are beautiful, tea options plentiful, food good, and service excellent. It was a real treat for my daughters (8 & 11) and me.

Visited The Drake's Palm Court to attend a cousin's wedding tea party event. Duration was two hours with about 25 female guests taking place right after lunch. First experience was the front staff at the Palm Court. There was a bit of confusion as to where my cousin's party was assigned, but was settled fast. What I appreciated very much with the staff of the Drake was the friendly and hospitable treatment towards guests wearing formal, and those wearing very casual clothing. The next experience was the powder room. Sign was not immediately visible, but has a very good distance from guest tables. Each cubicle at the ladies' room has its own toilet and sink, provision of privacy to touch up own hair and make-up after enduring Chicago heat was very welcoming. Was seated on the cushions attached to the wall. The cushions were sinking that might need some firming-up. Saucers, silverware, and tea caddies were already on the table, along with the loose tea leaves in the tea pots and labels on the tea pots. Tea party started promptly, serving three kinds of tea; one green, one black, and one floral. The duration of the tea party was short that I was only able to try the green gunpowder tea. The gunpowder was earthy in flavor, delicious, enjoyable to drink even without cream and sugar. Each table was served with snacks in three-tier plate stands. The finger foods selections are on The Drake's official web site, varying in sweetness and flavors. Was served a Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon during service, and the other guests had other kinds of alcoholic beverage. The selection was varying, the servers were knowledgeable as to what kinds of alcohol that is available. Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon didn't quite pair well with the snacks, stringent in flavor, that it may pair well with a steak more than Petit Fours. The general atmosphere was conducive for conversations, with a soft accompaniment of a live harp performance beside the center floral arrangement. Tea parties may have the imagery of demure and formality to it, but the Palm Court's hospitality make the tea party also relaxed, casual, non-judgmental, and approachable. Two hours of meeting new people in a relaxed atmosphere made the tea party at the Palm Court an impression on Chicago hospitality and the wedding event memorable.

I decided to try their high tea. It was very good. I liked the assortment of pastries and sandwiches that came with tea. They had an unusual quiche with goat cheese and rhubarb - yum. I had montagne bleue tea which had such a nice flavor. Definitely recommend this event.

On a girls trip to Chicago, we treated ourselves to the most wonderful afternoon of our trip! The ambiance and service is wonderful. Our server, Sead, was delightful and even gave us a tour of the ballrooms and party rooms in the Hotel after our tea. The tea was amazing. Scrumptious scones, sandwiches, breads, cakes, etc. A harpist was playing absolutely beautiful music. Water fountains, amazing flowers. So very glad we made the time to go!

Teas are going on constantly so we can't use the venue to eat or get a drink. 2 nights in a row we came after shopping about 6pm to get a drink and was told we could come back at 730pm when tea was over? Wtf. The only other option at the hotel is the bar which is a low ceiling, small crowded noisy place with children because there isn't anywhere else for them to go due to the dam teas. Teas are fine from 11-2:30 or so but till 730??? We've been coming 20 years here and will stay somewhere else next time!

We did a Chicago Staycation this summer and this was a must stop. Wait staff were wonderful and there is a nice ambiance. Cost is a little steep but worth it for a one time only visit.

Finally came here for afternoon tea with one of my friends after wanting to do it for years. We had a lovely time and the Palm Court is just absolutely beautiful! Think very grand and lavish looking like a palace, and we were lucky enough to get a table next to the fountain. They also had a live harpist there! The tea was excellent, many different types to select from and the staff always kept the pots full. I was actually surprised by how good and filling the finger sandwiches and little pastries were! They were able to accommodate me by having a nice selection of vegetarian sandwiches for me. The staff will bring out more of any of the food you like, I couldn't get enough of the scones and mini lemon poppy loafs. Although a little pricey, my friend and I left full and thrilled with the experience!

Good news is it's definitely not the old Palm Court with the new ownership. Bad news is it's definitely not the old Palm Court. Don't expect nice big drinks or the same quality of food. Seems like they are cutting corners on quality. My boyfriend's chicken marsala was very fatty, saltier than a beef bouillon cube and rubbery. Not only that, it was cold. So he had to send it back to get warmed up and of course then I'm eating and he is not. So that always sucks. Our server was able to take it off the bill but she had to get permission from the management first and made that perfectly clear. So it appears that the staff isn't given any authority or respect. I know most of the servers have been there over 25 years so that is a shame that the ownership does not trust trust their judgment. I never remembered it to be like that previously. They no longer give their servers a complimentary meal either. And we wonder why the hospitality industry is suffering. Staff now has to pay to eat during their shifts. Also they brought us out someone else's dinner. We had to wait a long time until ours came. Our server apologized but it definitely was not her fault. Everyone is understaffed these days. Small pours on the wine as well. The new updates in the dining room were overdue and were beautiful like the beautiful marble floors. Ditching the brass and mirror Love Boat look was a much needed change. The music piped into the dining room was ok except when the entertainment said the ladies were all going to get laid. I thought it was funny but I could tell some of the patrons in the dining room did not find it amusing. The igloos are fun in the winter for sure. Definitely try the igloos once for a fun experience. Overall, I think the quality of the food has gone down, kitchen seems disorganized, they ran out of the specials which were few and far between, the drinks are small, the menu is average and the drinks are overpriced for the value for sure. This is the fourth time we have been there since the new ownership. Each time we go, I keep hoping to have a better experience and it just doesn't seem to happen. I did have the scallops this time and they were excellent. So kudos there. However, the boyfriend's rubber chicken was awful. And cold. The two times before I had ordered a fillet and it was overdone - both times and I had to return it. So sadly I have to say that Palm Court will be a fond memory of the past.

The ambiance was fabulous - a beautiful setting right next to a fountain with harp music in the background. Somewhat disappointing that the harpist took a 20 minute break mid-point in our tea. The food was tasty but I had high expectations for $50. The tea sandwiches were a little lack luster and the scones were OK, but the lemon curd made up for it! Overall a great atmosphere that made up for a rather average tea.

High Tea in the Palm Court at The Drake Hotel is Elegant, Filling & Tasty! We very much enjoyed whiling away a Saturday Afternoon, enjoying each other's company, tasting each other's interesting tea selections, and savoring the delights of the petite sandwiches & desserts!

We've been going to the Palm Court on Sat night to dance to the wonderful bands for about a year. The bands are awesome and are typically high heat swing with polished singer and 4-6 band members. However, these are dancing bands and the Palm Court has a dance floor that is approx 8 x 12 with over 50 excellent dancers. No room to dance. Usually very nice dancers, but Sat 3/31/18, very rude with several men elbowing others to make room on dance floor. The wait staff has gone downhill and are awful, the new concierge has attitude, like a teenage girl pmsing. At Palm Court we easily spend $50-60 on drinks and food plus a good tip for band. Sat night was the breakpoint and we found another place to go to and will continue to search for better venues. Done with the Palm Court.

Beautiful classic tea service - it's all very elegant. We lucked out with a live harp player as well. The decor is so beautiful - all white, complete with fountain and cherubs! Very fun mother and daughter college get-away day!

Five of us, all Chicago residents, went for high tea because this place has a good reputation as THE place to go for elegance. The setting is lovely, I guess, but since I was seated with my back to the room at an uncomfortable table with no leg room, I couldn’t enjoy it. The service was good, the food was just so so. Tea was good, scones were dry and tasteless, cucumber sandwiches tasted like they had been made too long before serving, chocolates were delicious. When the check came we could not have separate checks because there were five of us, and they can only only give four separate checks. This crazy policy caused a great deal of inconvenience. Basically, this is an overpriced, inconvenient place, that I would not recommend.

unlike other reviews I see here, we were extremely unhappy with our Palm Court experience. The food was sparse, bland and slightly stale. Tea selection was ok but nothing marvelous. Crowded noisy surroundings with stiff cheap chairs and hurried servers. Emphasis on quick table turnover. Long lines to check and retrieve coats. A high price for a very mediocre experience. We will not be returning,

Been coming to The Drake at Christmastime for my entire life. It’s quintessential Chicago Christmas. While there’s some sparkle left in the old dame, it’s a real shame to see how much the hotel and palm court has been left to deteriorate over the last 10 years or so. It’s really a shell of its former grand self. I really hope they find new owners who can breathe life (capital $) and class back into her. Focusing now on Palm Court Holiday Afternoon Tea. Palm court was grand and glorious back in the day, sadly there’s been no upgrades or general maintenance in recent years and it’s really showing wear & tear in the details. The bathrooms are deplorable, stall doors don’t lock, sinks don’t work, paper towels are low-quality (when they used to have rolled towels like other upscale hotels). The bussing service stations are piled high with dirty plates and tea kettles. Tables are left unbussed. It’s really a huge lack of attention to detail. The holiday decor in the club international is extremely tacky with half-dead Poinsettia plants, an undecorated “Psychedelic” Christmas tree in the corner that flashes all kinds of color and tables with cheesy beaded tree centerpieces and candles that are never lit during service. Again, huge lack of details and pretty tacky. Focusing on the actual tea service. The menu is nicely done and has all the essentials for a holiday tea service. The China is elegant and the presentation of the three-tier platter is done well. The scones and desserts are tasty, the savory finger sandwiches are a bit dry but not bad. Service is average at best. Perhaps it was our server, but, we were rarely checked on and had to ask the bussers for refills of hot water for our tea pots and replenishment of the condiments. The service staff is pretty hands off and it feels more like a “serve & churn” mentality. If you leave for the bathroom for example, your place setting isn’t cleaned or napkin folded. Typically in the past, midway through the tea service we would be asked if we wanted to change to different type of tea or purchase additional sandwiches; but this was not offered this time. After tea cocktails are not offered- the check is dropped and that’s about it. Again, many will say commenting on these lack of details is nitpicky, but this how Drake Palm Court Tea used to be. It was so elegant and festive. This is how holiday tea at The Ritz, Langhman and Peninsula is currently. Granted, Drake tea is $78 and Peninsula Tea is $130, but I digress. Maybe I’m just stuck in the past. At the end of the day the history of the Drake and the memories of growing up visiting every Christmastime is still worth the visit in my opinion. But if things don’t improve or change next year, it will be hard to justify the cost for the experience.

I wanted to treat my friend and I to this amazing tea experience before hitting the road for 5 hrs and it was the best thing I did for myself. The ambiance was amazing, the service went above and beyond our needs and wants.....the finger food was delicious too......we specified what we liked the most and the waiter kept brining only the things we loved.....the selection was great....i do have to say that Sead and Almir were our waiters and they were amazing. I would go back every sunday if i could :)

This was my first time having high tea. Overall it was a great experience. They were very crowded so service could have been a little better. Since we were beginners we could have used a bit more guidance on the menu and how to pour the tea properly (lift the lid a little to avoid spilling). We checked out a few other places but this was the best menu with the most ambiance. I mean who can resist a harpist and Charles Dickens costumed carolers? This is something you should do at least once!

Great food and a great place to have a relaxing meal listening to the old crooners music, Dean Martin, Sinatra etc. Service and staff were great and even gave us a free dessert 🍰 because of our first time there.

We've gone for tea at the Palm Court several times, two of which have been during Christmas. The decorations are beautiful normally and are even more spectacular at Christmas time. They even have carol singers! The staff, tea, and food have been outstanding every time we've gone. We'll definitely be visiting for tea again!

This was a pricey endeavor at $40 per person; however, the ambiance, service, and quality of the food made me forget the price. The price was also worth it given we were there for a special occasion. The service was very attentive; the food offerings were varied and amazing. The room was visually appealing and was the focus of many selfies and photos from the guests around us.

I went with family for the afternoon tea service on Christmas and had a fantastic experience. The food was plentiful and the service was attentive without being overbearing. The ambiance was lovely, especially with the live harpist. I would most definitely return.

We stay in Chicago every two years and always make sure we come to the Palm Court for tea. We even started staying here just so it was easier to stop in for tea each day we are here. It is calm, relaxing and peaceful. They have a wide variety of teas and snacks. The wait staff are nice, friendly and welcoming. The fountain in the center of the room combined with the music and the history of the hotel all make this the perfect place for tea.

We have had afternoon tea at many fine establishments and booked reservations during our stay at the Drake Hotel. It is a little more expensive than other teas we've had but it was also very elegant. We were seated next to the fountain and there was a harpist playing. There was a decent selection of tea and decent amount of food -- not to much but not too little. One minor setback was that it took a while for us to get our bill. The staff here seems very busy. This is a very popular place for birthday parties, bridal parties, etc. On a side note, they have live bands on weekend nights and it's great to see older couples cutting a rug. Very charming.

My girlfriend and I have been to high tea all over the world and this is by far the best ever. Our waiter was excellent and took care of our every need. This is the first tea I have been to where they continually refilled the plates of food and made sure our pots of tea never cooled off. The food was delicious and almost too beautiful to eat! If you are looking for a real treat, this is a must do.

My wife and daughters are big afternoon tea fans, hence we have had quite a few both in the US and the UK, and I can unequivocally say that the Drake was the worst we ever had. Aside from the harpist who was lovely, everything was poor, most importantly the quality of the food: sandwiches poorly presented, scones tiny and seemingly reheated, worst of all pastries that honestly were inferior to stuff you can buy at your random local US supermarket chain. All that at a very steep price that would buy a nice steak at one of Chicago’s many excellent steakhouses. Just awful.

We loved the ambiance of the high tea at Palm Court. It was so cool to have tea where Princess Di and many others once stayed. The service and food was okay 3.5/5 but the ambiance and the harp player were incredible.

My daughter, granddaughter, and I just had a wonderful high tea at the Palm Court in the Drake. This grande dame hotel has aged very well, it exudes style and elegance. The hotel Christmas decorations are nostalgic and beautiful. We arrived with a stroller; one of the Bell Men took over and carried it up the stairs for us! We checked our coats (free) and proceeded to the Palm Court. Our hostess gave us excellent advice for stroller positioning for convenience. I had the Nutcracker tea, and my daughter had the Sugar Plum Fairy tea. Both were delectable. I also had a glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne, which was perfect! The combination of sweet and savory offerings were fresh and tasty. My favorites were the cucumber sandwich with tomato jam, and the chocolate mousse gateau. Our service was impeccable, very prompt and courteous. An extra special treat were the carolers. Each table was granted a special song request. I had a 2nd request, but the carolers had to move on to their next station. When they returned to the Palm Court, they remembered my 2nd request & sang “Silver Bells” for us. So sweet and thoughtful! It made our afternoon tea extra special, which will make a very special memory.

Our family, two adults and a 20 year old, did high tea service at the Drake. Beautiful space. Lovely food. Delicious tea. Overall a great experience with just a couple small negative comments to share. One the day was a rainy day in a very pedestrian friendly part of the Magnificent Mile. We had wet rain coats and wet umbrellas when arriving. Even though it was a luxury hotel when I asked the host about where our wet items could be placed he said there was no coat service so we had to pile the wet things on the floor next to our table. And the server was attentive but it was unclear what we could or could not ask for. He said we could order more. But many more questions had to be asked to understand what specifically we could order more of and what would or wouldn’t cost more. Turns out we could order a second set of everything (savory and sweet) at the cost of tea but that was a lot more than we needed.

The afternoon tea is extremely overrated. The entire experience was rushed, poor quality food and expensive. We were pushed in and out in about 35 minutes, every other afternoon tea I’ve been to has last between and hour and a half to two hours. I absolutely never write a bad reviews but honestly it feels like their hoodwinking people with what they charge for the tea they provide. Afternoon tea is something to be enjoyed not rushed through, if you’re looking to do one there are plenty of other wonderful experiences for the same price.

I was really looking forward to afternoon tea here. i love Chicago so thought it would be a nice treat. Firstly, we wondered around and up a floor in a wheelchair then back down again to find where the Palm Court was. Signs don't exist and we couldn't find a staff member. Then it is not easily accessible by wheelchair. You have to go to a mezzanine and arrangements have to be made. Luckily i was able to walk a little and could get there. The central flower arrangement was lovely. The menu itself looked dated. the sandwich choice was limited, white bread, brown bread and the vegetable sandwich was starting to curl at the ends because it was dry. The scones were nice but the other deserts were pedestrian, unimaginative and the macaroon looked nice but again was dry. a big disappointment. We were asked once during our time if everything was ok and we wanted anything else which we did not. it took us time to find a waiter to ask for all the bill. The setting is beautiful and its a shame the food and service don't match.

Very overpriced and disappointed. Do not go hungry!!!!! A little tip: go for the pictures of the tree decor and train and then go eat at Rosebud next door. The service is soo slow. The food it tiny and stale and only got one serving. We were starving when we left. For 110.00 this is what we got see below. The harp player was leaving when we got there so there was no music. They need to step it up for those prices get hearty fresh food.

Do not waste your time/money. Awful Food, the staff has no clue how to greet and serve the guests. Couple of finger food /snack 100$.

We decided to splurge on High Tea for part of our anniversary celebration. Just wow. Food, harp music, and service were first class all the way. Do treat yourselves when staying at The Drake or just downtown shopping!

It is a beautiful setting in a fantastic Chicago tradition that’s been going on for over 100 years. If you are in town get reservations go and enjoy the harvest fun tea food in the atmosphere. I would say it’s a don’t mess.

I brought my Mother to the Palm Court for afternoon Christmas tea on Xmas eve. To say that it was a disappointment would be an understatement. We were off to a rocky start when we were seated and waited 25 minutes for our (very flustered) waiter to arrive. We ordered wine and champagne that eventually arrived at the same time as our tea. He spilled the champagne on the table, apologized and left again. When our food finally arrived, it was brought over by the hostess, who nicely apologized and said the waiter would be over to explain what everything was on the tiered tray. That never happened. He did breeze by and say he would be right back with condiments - and he did, about 15 minutes later. When he returned, he apologized and said 'so sorry ladies, I'd would love to bring you another round of drinks, on me.' We never saw him again!! Finally, after finishing our meal we were certainly ready to go. We waited, and with our waiter nowhere in sight, I got up and found the hostess and she was able to have someone deliver our $122 bill. Apparently she wasn't able to find him, either. He did show up eventually to collect my card, lay it on the table and leave. This was supposed to be such a special event, and I was embarrassed that I had raved about it to my Mom - this was her Christmas gift. With our tip, we spent $140 on a meal where the service rivaled a trip to a fast food restaurant. It is not what I expect from such a well respected, and time honored establishment. This afternoon was a complete disappointment. I understand that this is a very busy time of year, but our dining experience today was just awful. The tables on either side of us expressed their disappointment as well.

We had the wedding reception for our son's wedding at the Palm Court and it was outstanding! A special thank you to Amy, who coordinated the reception. Every detail was attended to with great care. Another big thank you to our lead server, Christine, who anticipated our every need, and was so attentive. And we loved the way she popped those champagne bottles! The tea and food were so delightful especially the Jasmine tea, the lobster and shrimp brioche, the goat cheese and pomegranate quiche, and the outstanding English scones. The split on the scones was right where it is supposed to be! The afternoon concluded with the cutting and serving of the wedding cake, so delicious! And each guest left with a little box of Drake Truffles. Throughout the afternoon we were entertained by the harpist who played a variety of music including Christmas carols. For this small wedding, a reception at the Palm Court was the perfect party. Thank you for creating a wonderful memory for our families!

Recently shared tea with 3 special ladies at this lovely place. The atmosphere is lux but not stuffy, definitely a "special occasion" feel to it. The harpist contributed to the refined, soothing vibe. We had a reservation for the earliest seating and were shown our table promptly. Our waiter was attentive for the most part, but seemed a bit distant as were working our way through the three tiered tray of treats and an earlier offer to bring refills would have been appreciated. A nice variety of teas and tisanes are available. The sandwiches included seafood salad, egg salad, cucumber, ham with asparagus all of which were good but not exceptional. Scones with cream, jam, and lemon curd were the highlight for me. Desserts included several chocolate selections and other yummies. Overall, an enjoyable treat but just a bit "off" of a "5" rating.

I had to the see the Drake and have high tea in this landmark hotel. The ambiance is great and the service follows. The staff was attentive and the cakes and sandwiches were tasty.

Very unhealthy tea HIGH in sweet carbohydrates. Not a single portion of fresh fruit, vegetables or protein. Everything will be breaded with a tinny slice of cucumber or a salmon but 90% of the choices will be Carbohydrates and lots of butter. I am surprised that they are not oblige to disclose the calories for this "tea". I asked for a green teat and they brought me a very strong jasmine tea, when asked about a green tea I was given a cheap "Twinings"s" peppermint tea bag that I can buy at my local supermarket. The service will get only 2 stars, the servers were re-filling the hot water in the teas very aggressively. We started at 4 pm and shortly after the harpist left. The only good thing was the International room if you do the HIGH CARB TEA this is the room to go to. I enjoyed the view to Michigan Avenue and the company. Beyond that 2 stars for the tea, 1 star for the food, 2 stars for the service, 1 star for the hours of the harpist that was never present and that service was included in our fee, 5 stars for the coat check, 5 stars for the view at the International room. I will recommend: adding fresh fruits, vegetables and protein and improving your tea selection for this price,

My daughter and I had tea here on Dec15th .Very sad experience food was not worth $175 for 2 people. T he scones were dry very small .The sandwiches bread was stale and desserts were so dull and tasteless .Service was very bad waitress seemed like she was going through the steps and not enjoying her job . .I have had tea many places and this is a big letdown we were also crammed in to our table to many people in small space.

Everything is very dull. The food looks and tastes cheap. The service is very mediocre. The atmosphere is not at all festive and we visited the place on Christmas day. This is the Drake Hotel!! What happened to it? It is $52 per person!!!! Don't waste your time and money.

After a very disappointing experience at the Signature Lounge, we were looking for a relaxing cocktail nearby after a long day of shopping. I pulled up my map and we ended up at the Palm Court. The bar here is small, and at 4:00 in the afternoon, there was nobody else at it. Bonus for us! Kim was our bartender and she was able to spoil us. She makes incredibly good cocktails and has a super nice personality. Quite possibly the nicest person we met in Chicago. It seemed that everybody else was there for tea, and there was a harp playing in the background. However, the wife and I had no issue sidling up to the bar, being welcomed by Kim, and having a couple of fabulous cocktails and a dessert. Don't know if you want to go there all the time, but definitely go if Kim is working!

I love afternoon tea: the pomp, the prettiness, and all the deliciousness on that adorable three-tiered plate. If you concur with any of my loves,DO NOT waste your time at the Drake. The Drake Hotel is an iconic beauty in Chicago's firmament of architectural wonders. However, this tea(50 bucks, btw) is abysmal. The scones looked like they came from some mediocre freezer and they tasted worse. The (hopefully adorable) little finger sandwiches were stale and the little sweets were worse. How hard is it to make a tasty little pastry crust. Well, apparently impossible for the bakers back in the Drake's kitchen. On top of all these disappointments (and indeed they were), the man who serves as the point person to check reservations and seat the unfortunate tea-takers, was swamped and rude. Not a good way to start but, in hindsight, a harbinger of what was to come. The only bright spot for me was the charming waiter. Though he had to hustle, he did it with a charmed grace. I wonder if his mother is a good baker. If so, let's promote this hard-working gentleman to be the face of tea-time and see if he could persuade his mother to take the reins in the kitchen. Just a thought... Spend the extra 20 and book at the Penisula. You won't regret it!

Horrible! I’d give it one star if I could. I took my niece and nephew there for high tea. The tea strainers at the table were used with tiny bits of leaves in them and the dishes had crumbs on it. The tea pot the waitress brought out had food stuck to the side. When she brought out our tower, some sandwiches were missing and she said - oh I need to grab you another one of this and that. Our tea service was late in the day, and I’m pretty sure they just took leftover sandwiches and desserts from other guests’ towers to make ours because the finger sandwiches were stale. We were in a hurry, so didn’t bother asking for the manager to complain about everything. After we left, my nephew asked in the car how far we were from where we were going. I asked him if he was feeling sick. He said yes. I asked, “Motion sickness?” He said, “No, I think from the food.” My nephew told me that he had cut one of his sandwiches and found hair! He just finished an etiquette class and thought it was rude to bring up at the table, so waited until later to tell me. He also said, “For such a nice looking hotel, you’d expect it to be cleaner.” My nephew and I both had stomach issues that night — probably from the tuna and salmon bites that were out for who knows how long. My niece only ate the desserts and didn’t have stomach issues. The Drake might be historic, but it’s still old and their service and quality is not up to par with other high end, but more modern hotels like The Four Seasons and The Peninsula. I’ve had high tea at those other two hotels and they are way better. My niece could’ve set up a better tea party; she’s nine-years-old. Never returning again.

We were late to make a reservation and received one for their side room, not the palm court. The side room was beautifully decorated. We had a table overlooking Michigan Ave. The tea was delicious. The food was fresh and scrumptious. It was well worth the $.

This is an elegant spot for afternoon tea. This was my second time there. Our server was so courteous and attentive. Our table was located near the harpist. This is a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion. They also offered us refills which is unusual for afternoon tea.

Tea at The Drake is not so great anymore. The teas are fabulous, but the tea sandwiches and pastries are not as delectable as they once were. They got cheap and it shows. But the prices are as high as ever.

Queen Elizabeth II once had afternoon tea at Palm Court in Chicago's Drake Hotel. My wife and I have enjoyed the experience. So should you. Afternoon tea is served from noon to 4:30 Wednesday through Saturday and from 11 to 3:30 on Sunday. In a luxurious room fit for a Queen, guests spend 90 minutes listening to a live harpist, choosing from among 17 unique tea blends, salads, finger sandwiches, scones, breads, preserves, pastries and desserts. Love the egg salad and smoked salmon sandwiches and the raspberry mousse. But we aren't tea drinkers. One time was enough. On this occasion, we came for lunch, which is served from noon to 11:30 Wednesday through Saturday and from 11 to 3:30 on Sunday. Joe DiMaggio wasn't a tea drinker, either. When he and Marilyn Monroe stayed at the Drake, they partook in lunch at Palm Court and dinner at the now closed Cape Cod Room. The menu has changed since Joe D. and Marilyn were here. But you get the point. Joe D. would have preferred a Drake Burger rather than a cucumber finger sandwich. My wife and I started with French Onion soup, pretzels with beer cheese sauce and grain mustard and Caesar salad with romaine, croutons and parmigiano reggiano. For entrees, we passed up crab cakes and half-bone in chicken and seared short rib for a Classic Reuben with corned beef, gruyere cheese and sauerkraut and a Drake Burger with cheddar cheese, Dijon and tomato on a potato bun. For dessert, we shared flourless chocolate cake with vanilla cream and scoops of chocolate and strawberry gelato. We miss two of the Drake's old-time restaurants, the Camellia House and the Cape Cod Room, but Palm Court remains as exquisite as ever. Long live the Queen.

We were staying at the Drake and looking for a relaxing evening with good food. The atmosphere was great; we liked the lounge setting. We were given the wrong menus and ordered a salad that was not on the right menu. The waitress and her supervisor tried to convince us that a spring salad was a beet salad, calling some parts "beets". We sent it back. 20 minutes later both returned and apologized for their mistake. My short ribs were way overcooked, and the other meals were rated "okay ". So the value was poor. Our waitress seemed to be the only one working so service was spotty.

Many a nice high tea with friends and family. Frequently have a harpest playing and good selection of teas.

Did the valentine high tea with my niece at the Palm Court. Was hesitant after reading some reviews but found it outstanding. Azmir took the time to explain the menu and how the high tea worked. Upon presentation of the tea tray he told us in detail what was being served. Our tea pots were constantly being replenished with hot water, as well as water glass. Bus man and Waiter visited multiple times to make sure all was there before we even had to ask. Scone and financier ( lemon poppy muffin) had great flavour and texture. While bread was a bit dry on sandwiches the filling was super moist and desserts were wonderful. The harpist played as well. What a wonderful treat. Hats off to you Drake hotel for a great tea. ( this was a bucket splurged treat... warning tea for one around $50 but I felt it was worth every penny.

My cousin and I took my grandmother to holiday tea as a surprise. Despite living in Chicago for many years I had never done this before; although I have been to high teas before. Although I had high expectations I was underwhelmed, mostly. Here are the highs/lows: Service. As soon as we got to the hotel, a friendly doorman greeted and directed us to the tea. We were waiting in the lobby for my cousin, and a charming bell hop offered to take our picture by the decorations. The tea itself has complimentary coat check, and our waiter was attentive; we had many refills of hot water for the tea and service was quick. The notable exception-- the hostesses were not very friendly; we arrived 10 minutes prior to a 5 PM reservation and couldn't get seated until all 3 of us were there. When I told the hostess our party was complete, it still took another 10 minutes to get seated. It was midweek, and there were plenty of empty tables. Also, it's the last tea seating, so why make us wait for all 3 of us to be seated-- it's not like we were taking the table away from other diners. Unfortunately, it set a negative tone; I realize the holiday season can be busy or draining but in a service industry you have to be positive! We used the valet garage next door for parking (reserving a spot through Spot Hero for $12-- I heard you can also get validated parking from the Drake for $14, though) and that was easy enough-- pull up and the garage door opens, look for exiting cars! Ambiance: The hotel is beautiful and the Palm Court is gorgeous. My grandmother LOVED all the Christmas decorations, so it was a big success. However, not all seats here are created equal. They have comfy couches, and regular tables. They have seats near the fountain and the elegant centerpiece that is pictured, and (not pictured) seats in the back which are dark and decidedly less elegant, lol! Our long awaited table was at the back of the room near the powder room, and there was a table with dirty teacups stacked (I mean, like 40 or 50--- not just a table that hadn't been cleared) in our sightline. Maybe not the look they were going for? A couple near us actually requested to move, and did... but I didn't really want to complain in front of my grandma (lol) and our waiter was nice, so we stayed put. Food: Well, I thought the tea (the actual beverage tea) was delicious! You can order from about 20 different kinds and I got what our waiter informed me was the most popular the Montagne Bleu (spelling? it's something French sounding!) Very good. My grandmother ordered green tea which tasted mostly of jasmine, and my cousin ordered the Oolong, which I also thought was great. We also had the sparkling white wine, which I enjoyed. The food was... average? Although it's not average for me to eat tea sandwiches. Some was quite good-- I liked the smoked salmon and chicken salad. Some was meh. All was premade; I get they probably have to do this due to the volume of customers, but I don't want it to taste pre-made, you know, especially at $52 a head! The bread got a little dry around the corners, a swan shaped dessert looked impressive but did not taste as impressive. So that was disappointing. We had the last service of the day, so maybe it's fresher in the morning? Overall, my grandmother was delighted and had a great time with her two granddaughters so that's the bottom line, though she's a very loving woman so possibly we could have taken her to a holiday tea at Starbucks and it would have been as good for her! It was a nice experience, but I will probably try a different place next time if I decide to do this again.

No trip to Chicago is complete without tea here. It is so elegant. We always have a glass of champagne with our tea (I recommend that!)

This hotel is lovely and is what brings people in I am sure! The Christmas tree in the foyer is beautiful as is the Train display. It started off so well... however we check in for our table - they don't have one available so we wait 10 mins and then as a party of 5 (3 adults and 2 children) we are seated at a table for 4 so my husband has to squeeze in next to the kids Then the table itself - is not of dining height so you can't put your legs under - which would under normal circumstances be ok because we have come for tea dn you sit to the side of the table BUT we are so squashed in to the table next to us we are seriously invading their space. I am going to guess that they double up on tables at this busy time of year which is a total joke for the amount of money you have to pay. Then the food: The sandwich fillings on offer were not as described on the hotel website- we did not have coronation chicken we had a little pastry with shell fish - umm - have you heard of allergies - this was not pointed out to us No water at the table Jelly and nutella sandwiches for the kids - really?? that is a strange combo The stands for the tea are obviously the same size no matter what size of party which means you have to ask your server for more sandwiches which quite frankly again is ridiculous and isn't pointed out to you either - nor is the ability to request more hot water. The only thing that saved the event was the carollers who were brilliant and sing a song at your request - we chose Last Christmas by Wham which seemed to amuse them and they loved singing it! Overall a disappointment. Would be interesting to go back on a regular day to see the difference in vibe and ambience as our visit just felt like a tourist trap. I've had afternoon tea at many place (I'm British and I take my Mother often) and this was one of the worst experiences for the food) Shame

I went with a friend for afternoon tea at the palm court. It was both of our favorite activity we did in Chicago. The ambiance is unparalleled. I wish I remembered our waiters name, but he was so lovely. He humored us with taking pictures, and made the tea feel so special. The tea was fantastic- I got the MONTAGNE BLEUE tea. The sandwiches and desserts were all delicious. It is a large snack but not a meal FYI. Highly recommend!

We went to high tea on Saturday and it was amazing. The service was perfect, the environment was relaxing. They have a great assortment of teas to choice from. The service also comes with refills of two out of the three layers of food plates. We also got two glasses of Prosecco. TIP: Make your reservations in advance and ask for a table next to the fountain TIP#2: Great place to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Make sure they are aware as it comes with a special dessert

My wife enjoys high tea when traveling. It is a very special treat. We were pleased to be able to get a reservation at the Palm Court for high tea. The holiday tea included carolers who took requests and a harpist. The room, the setting and presentation were elegant and refined, as expected. Our waiter carefully described all the items. Everything was delicious. I did not rate this experience as excellent because the room was crowded, noise level was annoying, and tea service did not allow guests to select sandwiches. However, it was a great experience.

My cousin and I had a 4:30p reservation for afternoon tea, but they were able to get us in earlier, since we arrived early and it was a slow day. Keep in mind that afternoon tea is an experience meant to be savored, so it typically lasts about 1-1.5 hours, while you enjoy each bite of food and sip of tea. The tea sandwiches were delicious (the chicken was my favorite ), the scones and cream were divine, and the tea menu was extensive and had something for every taste. The best part was that there was someone constantly going around with hot water to refresh your tea pot, so you didn't run out, and you had the option to get more of an item if you wanted to. We only asked for one more scone apiece, and the portions were perfect. The teas were amazing and didn't require any sweetener. We were fortune enough to get there while their harp player was present, so we even had amazing music to accompany the experience. My only complaint was the cost of our additional drinks. We chose to have a glass of champagne (my cousin ) and a mimosa (me). The champagne was reasonably priced ($7), but my mimosa was almost double that (which i don't understand since it has less alcohol and only adds orange juice ). All in all, we really enjoyed the ambiance (The Drake hotel is gorgeous) and the meal. I would definitely go back.

I was so excited to go to my first high tea and I thought what better place than The Drake Hotel. Sadly I was wrong. I made my reservation a month and a half in advance only for them to cancel it the day before with no warning and no reason. Luckily I was able to call and get a same day reservation no problem. The service was extremely slow and the waitress was kind of rude. Then I go check my bank statement 2 days later and see that I was TRIPLE charged!!! at $50 a person that's not a cheap mistake!! Will think twice before returning here.

This little corner of the Drake Hotel is a charming little hangout. On certain days during the week, they serve high tea which is patronized by a room full of city matrons, their daughters and granddaughters. High tea is not something you'd expect in Chicago, but it's fun. Warning, the bill can add up once you start adding cocktails to the mix. In the evening, the room is transformed into a lounge featuring music and dancing for the grownup set. Again, a fun spot to people watch.

Excellent scones, finger sandwiches and more. Devonshire cream, lemon curd and strawberry preserves were excellent. A very extensive selection of prime teas were offered. The only other place we have visited with such afternoon tea offering is The All Chocolate Kitchen/Primo in Geneva, Illinois.

An absolute wonderful experience, relaxing and elegant!! Sead, our waiter was amazing! Made us feel like royalty.

We experienced high tea one afternoon during our stay. The Palm Court is beautiful and the high tea was very elegant. We enjoyed the finger sandwiches and desserts, as well as the wonderful tea. We also enjoyed a historical tour of the hotel. Would definitely recommend.

For somebody who is into the "high tea thing," they would like this - $45 for a cup of tea and some sandwiches/scones is highway robbery however. And for little girls its OK as well, for the discounted price of $20. But for anybody else it will turn into the most expensive snack of your life - you will be sitting there saying I should have gotten a latte at Starbucks and pocketed the remaining $40. I would give the following recommendations if you are in my predicament - 1) they provide multiple rounds of sandwiches / scones if you ask, so you could make this a light lunch easily - we made the mistake of getting lunch early in the day 2) if you're really not into tea, you don't have to order tea - in retrospect, I would let my wife and kid get the tea service and I would just have a cocktail - but I went with the flow for the sake of the experience with the wife so dropped my $120 for all of us to do it. At least she was happy, or seemed so. Oh, and make no mistake, this is not a quiet experience - lots of kids and parties of women chatting loudly. But there is a harp!

I did stay at the drake many times for business but first time as a family event for Christmas and first time at the palm court. Afternoon tea was a true Christmas experience. Excellent service. We had a very nice and skilled waiter who explained in a friendly and professional way. Nice choice.

We were seated at the top of the stairs which were blocked from entry but not exit. We assumed it was blocked for both or we would have requested a different table but we had settled and were served before people began exiting. Additionally, it was unsafe as my chair was inches from the top step. We ordered a vegetarian tray, it was average. The tea was good and refreshed with hot water. The room had a huge white thing in the center of the room, it did not evoke a holiday spirit. Service was attentive. I won’t go back due to the fact revenue is more important than customer safety

Hubby and I stayed at The Drake for 6 nights last week - and enjoyed cocktails at the Palm Court one evening. Although a pricey, the drinks/service/atmosphere are spectacular. Old school elegance and grace.

We had a long layover at Chicago's Union Station and met up with some old friends at the Drake for High Tea. The waiter was excellent, as was the selection of goodies on the 3 tiered tray. A very memorable afternoon!

We visited on a Monday afternoon and it was quiet and peaceful. We were able to sit back, relax and enjoy the calm atmosphere. The quiet time also meant that we could take our time and at no point were we rushed. The fountain is a beautiful centre piece and the room is furnished luxuriously. Special mention must go to Sead, our server. From the moment we arrived he was attentive and highly professional. He offered to take a number of photographs for us and even chatted about our home town, London, and his favourite football team. He made us smile throughout our visit. We were offered refills of all plates and our cold and hot water pots were filled regularly without having to request it. The sandwich selection was varied and all were tasty and a good size. The scones were delicious and the lemon curd was a refreshing alternative to the standard jam and cream. Compared to a London high end afternoon tea, this was well priced and worth the splurge! We left feeling full and would definitely recommend this treat to people visiting Chicago.

What an incredible piece of architecture and a Chicago landmark. I can only comment on my food and drinks which have always been great. Service is impeccable. As far as the rooms I have never spent the night there.

I have been here many times for tea and it never disappoints! Great for people of all ages. It does draw bridal parties and baby showers but I've taken several of my nieces and family there. You can get more of any of the food without additional cost. Other tea locations charge more and are not worth it in Chicago.

I stayed at the Drake Hotel and had heard that one must have tea in the Palm Court. The room is old school lovely and the staff and tea were delightful. They also had a salsa class here on Wednesday evening and it was wonderful to see all of the couples dancing hours later. Highly recommend for both tea and salsa.

The Palm Court is a classic. A beautiful space that takes the diner to a bygone age where class and affluence ruled. The interior is amazingly decorated with marble and craftsmanship no longer available. There is a grand fountain in the middle of the room with a live Harp Player serenading guests! The service is excellent, both friendly and prompt. The highlight is the food which is delicious. The Scones are average but the finger sandwiches are incredibly tasty. There is of course, a wide selection of teas. The Ambiance coupled by the food/tea makes this a perfect place for any special occasion!

We came here for a late Mother’s Day and we were blown away! Our waiter (Sead) was attentive as was the man who came by to make sure our tea was hot and filled with water when needed. The atmosphere was stunning. The beautiful fresh flower arrangements were incredible and was the first time we ever had something so posh. The harpist was extremely talented and we enjoyed every song she played. Thank you for such a memorable experience Sead- we will forever cherish our afternoon!

It was an experience. At first we were very impressed. It was beautiful and our server seemed very personable. That changed quickly for some reason, which we are not aware of. A lunch menu was offered to the man in our group. -- which was a nice option for him. We were seated in the hard back chairs (ask for the comfy padded ones!) We were seated directly opposite of the harpist and couldn't see her at all! It was almost as though we were being served as an after thought by our wait staff. (The water person was great! And one man did stop once to ask if things were okay.) The presentation of the food was not great. The food was very appetizing looking and well prepared. And tasted quite yummy - but when it was place on the plate there was nothing to keep it from sliding all over when brought out, and slide it did! It was all bunched to one side on the tray, and looked like it had just been plopped there, rather than artistically arranged. It was disappointing. We did appreciate the opportunity to get another sandwich per person at no additional charge. The teas were very good. All in all we wanted to experience High Tea at the Drake ... and we did. But probably will not do it again.

I have been here many times for cocktails and three times for tea. It's a great venue - very old school and cool. But it could use to step it up. Was here on a Friday night (10 p.m.) in December. Ordered an Irish coffee and it was brought with no whip cream - I had to send it back and then they added some somewhat curdled cream. This for $15. The bar should be ashamed to serve this - especially in a city with many great bars that take pride in what they do. I am used to paying $15 - $18 for a cocktail in Chicago. That is standard for better bars. The live music is cool - but the crowd has definitely gone downhill - several men in plaid shirts. Zero dress code. it looked like everyone had stepped off an airplane and right into the bar.

Two friends and I enjoyed the special afternoon tea. Our requests of the harpist were very well delivered. It was a lovely experience.

Fabulous experience. From communication with the management before through the Tea and departure, this was a treat we will long remember. The variety and quality of finger sandwiches, pastries and sweets was excellent . Tea choices are extremely varied and the server made suggestions based on our responses to his questions. The Palm Court is absolutely breathtaking and the flower arrangements cannot be improved upon.

This is a must see while at the Drake or in Chicago. Stop in for a drink or a fancy afternoon tea. Limited menu

We went to Palm Court for the Mag Mile Festival of Lights. I paid $300 for my family of 4 to eat small sandwiches and small pastries and I expected to have great service at a minimum. But the service was awful from the moment we arrived until the moment we left. We arrived right on time for our 3:45 reservation and everyone was hungry as we had been saving our appetite for this meal. We waited in the lobby until 4:45 to just sit down at a table. We ordered our tea when we sat down. We finally got our food at 5:15 but our tea didn't arrive until 20 minutes after our food came. And our food was missing various items from the menu. We asked our server where and when to watch the parade and he had no idea that there was even a parade happening. When we were finished, we waited 20+ minutes to get our check even though we were pretty much the last people left. I cannot believe I spent $300 on this experience. This was supposed to be a special treat - something to splurge on for the holidays. But we would have been much happier going to a pub and spending a fraction of what we spent.

Traveled to Chicago for the holidays with immediate (and extended) family and and we were eager to have an official, formal high tea. The offering of different types of teas and sandwiches offered something for the 3-year old girls in our family and the adults. It was a nice end to a family trip to Chicago for the holidays. Palm Court at the Drake was the perfect choice.

My wife and I went for the high tea. While it is quite expensive this is one of those once in a lifetime kind of experiences. The room is beautifully decorated and the wait staff is excellent. The harpist is very nice to listen to without intruding on conversation. It is a very classy, upscale kind of experience. It is a nice relaxed atmosphere which encourages conversation with your tablemates. Each person can select one tea which really was my only complaint. It would be nice to be able to try more than one tea, especially since you will be there for a least an hour. But we both tried the tea the other one had. As for the food you get some small muffins, scones and cakes; some small sandwiches with salmon and beef and chicken salad and a few small desserts. Along with all the tea you drink I was pretty full when we left. (Although I must admit I probably ate more than my share of the food). My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

The Palm Court is always a treat. The ambiance is quiet elegance. My husband and I like to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays there, because we had our first date at the Palm Court for afternoon tea. The food is delicious - 5 different kinds of finger sandwiches, scones, pastries, tea bread, your choice of tea, and we also enjoyed a bellini and a mimosa. The service is attentive but not hovering. There is always a harpist, and on this day, she played "happy birthday" for those celebrating the occasion. Perfect as a way to recharge after a day at the office, a day of shopping, to meet a friend, to unwind. Not a place for the kiddies unless they are quiet and well behaved.

If you've read my review of The Drake please know that the Palm Court is located in the hotel. The tea service was excellent and I will return. The service was impeccable and the ambiance was amazing. At the tea service there was a live harpist. Tea selections are plenty and are from Palais De Thes :) Seating for afternoon tea starts at 3:30 PM and ends at 5. I just walked in but if you are with a large party I would recommend calling ahead. The scones and sandwiches were delicious and filling.

We recently had tea and lunch here. The service and atmosphere was exceptional. This place captures to class and old glamour in a way most people don't do anymore.

I have always heard of the British tradition of afternoon tea and the special nature of high tea. I was definitely impressed with the offerings of high tea at the Palm Court. Exceptional teas, lovely petite fours, sandwiches and sweets, and the best service anywhere! Highly recommended and worth it.

What else should you do on a sunny late June afternoon in Chicago, but have "High Tea" at The Drake. The Palm Court room is cracking, fantastic old school setting, unbelievable service from all of the staff (especially Amir) Look the food isn't as good as the atmosphere, although having said that my Earl Grey tea was better than the old Gumboot I get at home!! For us it was a great experience whilst in the Windy City and a pleasant brake from the miles of Architectural gazing. I would recommend, just be prepared to be over whelmed by the service and somewhat under whelmed by the food.

The location and ambience of the Palm is truly wonderful, and the presentation and quality of the food is superb

Attached to The Drake Hotel is Palm Court. Weekdays they have afternoon tea, weekend evenings, live entertainment. Friday evening it was a singer Nan, and her accompanist. He was excellent, played piano, keyboards, sax, fluglehorn and sang. All relatively and enjoyable to listen to. She sang, engaged the crowd, and took favorite requests. It was enjoyed by many dancers, both casual and ballroom style, couples and individuals. The service was excellent, servers so very prompt. We stayed for a couple of hours, enjoying a drink and conversation. They also have a meal menu as well. If you stay at the Drake, I'm sure you could add the bill to your room. I would go again and would love to see some of their other bookings.

Sunday afternoon tea in the Palm Court at the Drake Hotel. There is no elevator access directly to this floor, but the concierge promptly requested a wheelchair for us which was also available when we finished. We had a 1:30 reservation which was great for a light lunch with tea. We were offered additional sandwiches, scones and desserts as many times as we liked, and our individual teapots were refilled with hot water frequently. It might have been nice to try a second variety of tea. The bread on the open-face sandwiches was a little dry, but you can eat the egg salad or chicken salad with a fork and save room for scones and dessert! Harp music was lovely - even "Stairway to Heaven" for rock lovers. Sit back and enjoy the company and the ambiance, get your money's worth. Definitely make a reservation for no later than 2pm so you have plenty of time.

We called to confirm our reservation the day before. The girl who answered could not have been a worse listener. I could not believe it. She didn't hear anything I said and to top it off interrupted me while I was trying to give her our name and reservation time, repeatedly. We had made our reservation 11 months prior. Not a good first sign. We arrived early and sat at exactly our reservation time. A server did not arrive to our table for 26 minutes. 26 minutes without even an acknowledgement that we existed. We had our 4 year old with us. Even more trying and frustrating. We informed Open Table that there were 2 peanut allergies at our table. When our server did finally show up, we felt we inconvenienced her with this information and she said something about a fruit plate. We had no idea what she said because it was so loud and she was in such a hurry to move on. As it turned out, we received MUCH MUCH less food than any neighboring table (same number of guests) but got a fruit plate. Our server never came back so we asked another passerby server. He said we only had 1 item on our tier that had nuts in it. Then why were we given so much less food for the same money???? We received water service at our table 45 minutes into our seating. 45 minutes for a glass of water. We had ordered our tea but the table did not have any infusers like all of the neighboring tables so our tea was filled with leaves and dried herbs in our cups. Not the best way to quench your thirst by not being served any water and having to take extremely small sips of tea to avoid leaves in your mouth. Some other tables looked as though they were having a nice time with different servers and MUCH more food for their $50 per person plate than what we were offered. Other tables looked very irritated as it seemed they too went entirely too long for a glass of water or for a server to greet them. We didn't expect a full meal. But we certainly expected a really special experience here. We did this as a bucket list item to enjoy it and share it as a family for our first time. What an awful disappointment. We got back to our hometown and everyone wanted to know how it went at the Drake.....ummmmmm.....NOT WELL. My husband wants so badly to call and inform someone of this mess and is so upset over this experience. However, our overall gut feeling is that....nobody will care! Nobody cared from the minute we called to confirm our reservation for our big day.

Our Girl Scout Troop recently had high tea at the Drake and it was such a pleasant experience. The tea, food and service made it a memorable experience for the kids and adults! Mikket went above and beyond to help our group and his tea recommendation was top notch. There are other places for tea in Chicago but we always keep coming back here because it's just such a beautiful treat and we are always treated well.

We always try to have High Tea at the Drake when we are in the city and it never disappoints. The food selection is always wonderful, and the harpist is frosting on the cake.

We visited the afternoon tea place with another couple. The good: nice room, great service, live music with a harpist playing all the time, good tea, there is a gluten-free alternative, the pastry tower is being refilled The bad: the tea is good but nothing special, the room is extremely loud. difficult to hold a conversation becuase of the noise in the room. Sandwiches are stale. I can't believe that one kind of a sandwich was made with 'wonder' bread and ketchup (to create a look of the red line). All pastries are not the best either. They look out of the box instead of hand made(this was my expectation at this place and price point). Scones I did not like, tasted like a muffin. You don't have the opportunity to taste a variety of teas, as you are allowed to pick only one tea(I just assumed that I will be allowed to try many different ones as I did not do my research ahead of time) For the price, I expected a LOT better. With tax and tips, it is over 60$ pp for getting together over a few cups of tea. I am not coming back. I think there is a better use of my 60$ pp

Wow! Had only moderate expectations given some reviews. Still surprised that the food offerings were quite dry as if out in the air too long waiting to be served after scads of other guests served. And then just one tiered tray. No service between courses. Just “Here is everything. I’ll be back when you’re done.” Bummer. Carolers sounded great. Sang one song at our table which was lovely. But they just looked so very bored that my family thought the paid singers should sit down while we caroled to them to bring them cheer! Will say the tea was delicious. Also, why were the tables so low? Like dining, with crumbly food, around a coffee table. Too expensive. Cannot recommend. Cannot understand why this tea is not a smashing success!

First, Realize the Drake is not a new Hotel. Beautiful, extravagant, richly appointed, but old. The opulence of the Palm Court is the Drake at it's best with delectable things to munch on while admiring the intricate architecture surrounding you. Very proper waiters take your order and deliver it with flourish. It is fun to be pampered in fine surroundings. But a trip to the rest rooms remind one of a bygone day. A must do a least once in your life.

Don't bother with high tea at The Palm Court, especially if you have a food allergy. I contacted the Palm Court to ensure I would be able to have the high tea service, despite a soy allergy. I was assured by Jose that the Chef was aware of my reservation and I would be taken care of. When my friend and I arrived, it was immediately clear Jose didn't recall my food allergy. After a long wait he returned to say the chef wasn't there. They instead could give me a salad. I could have managed a salad on my own! I wanted to be gracious and not ruin my afternoon with my friend. However, for an expensive outing that was to be a highlight of my trip, The Drake Hotel's Palm Court High Tea service fell flat. Not only was I not provided with a typical tea, but they omitted the chicken from the salad and brought rolls (that I couldn't have) with the salad. When I asked the server and waiter if the dressing had soy, both said no, it is Italian. Unfortunately, it had soy in it as I became ill during the trip. I felt no one cared about my experience at this establishment. I have always been treated well at The Ritz for tea, and will never try anyplace else. The Palm Court at the Drake is a complete waste of time and money and extremely disappointing.

I enjoyed afternoon tea with my family. For $45 each we had a generous selection of savory finger sandwiches, scones and sweets as well as a pot of tea each. The setting was stunning, a harpsichord player added the perfect touch for setting the ambiance. The service was above and beyond. I’ve had afternoon tea bar the Brown in London and this rivaled that experience. Make a reservation in advance, take a cab/Lyft. Browse the shops in the Drake and Stroll on the lakefront afterwards.

Great for photos as the flowers alone are stunning. You can go here for high tea and many private parties and wedding events are held here! Lots of elegant seating areas and specialty food as well.

Afternoon Tea at The Drake used to be one of my top recommendations for visitors and residents of Chicago, but today’s experience has left be deeply disappointed. I have been a guest to the Drake’s Palm Court for years and made it one of my holiday traditions. It was classy, elegant, had great service, and the food was good quality. Today my friend and I were excited to dine for Afternoon Tea. Upon arrival at our table we noticed a lot of things had been downgraded from our previous experiences. The tea strainer was not silver, the white and brown sugar lumps had been replaced with generic white sugar cubes, and the setting was far from elegant. What was most shocking was the food display. Tiny excuses for sandwiches, only one scone per person and the overall arrangement left a lot to be desired. Compared to previous years (Comparison pic attached) It truly felt like we were getting ripped off. Considering the Afternoon Tea experience is $50+ per person it was an embarrassment! I used to be a frequent guest, but now will have difficulty returning. I had made a tradition of dining for Afternoon Tea with my husband every Christmas Eve, but after today’s experience, I have since cancelled our reservation for this year. Such a bitter disappointment, as I once had been an incredibly loyal guest and I’m saddened to report such a review on a place I once held dear to my heart.

We hosted a guest program for the spouses of our conference's attendees and brought them in for an iconic Chicago experience and it did not disappoint. Our guests abosolutely LOVED their experience and came back with the biggest smiles on their faces. Neringa was so helpful and communicative throughout the process and I could absolutely see our group coming back in the future!

Crowded with it being Christmas. Food was OK. It's all about the company, bring someone you love and celebrate.

The ambience at Palm Court is breathtaking! It was a Mother’s Day outing and we were staying at the hotel so walking downstairs to have tea was perfect. It was 6 of us and I thought the table they reserved for us was too small. The table was crowded with our teapots and trying to squeeze our sandwiches on our plates with 5 adults and a child without spilling the tea took some effort. I did not care for the cucumber sandwiches, but the salmon, devil eggs, and chicken was delicious. The desserts were too rich and I really didn’t care for it. I had the tropical tea, but it was nothing special. Staff was not really attentive, but did the bare minimum. The 20% percent gratuity was already added so staff did nothing special.They did bring another tray of sandwiches out which was nice considering the bill was almost $500

The room was gorgeous and I appreciate that they were able to accommodate my distaste for no mayonnaise. However, our waitress had absolutely no idea or knowledge about any of the teas. That was disappointing to say the least. Therefore I did not really enjoy my tea.

Live music on the weekends was really fun and vibrant. Good service staff, but drinks were astronomical. 15$ each for a well drink was well above what I anticipated.

My friend took me to High Tea in the restaurant in the Drake Hotel to celebrate my birthday. The ambiance is wonderful, and the food is very good. Our server, Mirhet was amazing bringing us extra plates of food. He was so gracious when I dropped my take away box of food on the floor. Then he came back with a new box of food. I have been to the Drake for high tea numerous times, and it’s always special.

We had high-noon tea at the Palm Court. My daughters love high noon tea, so this was to be one of the highlights of our trip. And it was. The set up and the flowers are beautiful. I regretted not signing my daughter up for the flower making shop prior to the tea. I was disappointed never to have heard back from Amy, the event manager. I was quite keen on the 'history' tour, but haven't heard back from either my email or my telephone message. It's the summer, maybe the Holiday period! In any case, the tea was delicious for 3 of us. My daughter had the Melange du Cap, and it was very blend. The sandwiches were OK and so were the scones. Desserts were great, and so was the lemon curd. (we did ask for a second serving of it and it never came). The experience was a delight. This is highly supported by the harp player. Discrete, but yet present. Bravo!

Palm Court needs an update. Walls and ceiling looked like they haven’t been touched since the 80s. The pink up lights on the columns are cheesy. Maybe just uplifting w no color? The tea was nice. Food was ok. High tea at The Plaza in NYC is much nicer

Tea at the Palm Court is still as excellent as ever! Wonderful Service, Good Traditional Tea Sandwiches, Scones that are Not Hard Hockey Pucks & Teas from around the world. Also cocktails if you sooo desire! Reservations on the weekend needed, but such a classy atmosphere in a still beautiful Drake Hotel!

My daughter and I recently celebrated our belated Mother's Day by experiencing afternoon tea at Palm Court in The Drake. We began our tea with Mimosas while we decided on which tea to try. Approximately a dozen teas are offered and described in the menu, making our decision much easier. We both selected the Tropical tea which was light and fruity and we both enjoyed. A three-tiered display was then presented to us offering a very nice variety of sandwiches, desserts. For the sandwiches we were offered pesto chicken, roast beef, cucumber, crab tart. Desserts were scones, lemon meringue tarts and a berry macaroon. Two samples of each were provided. Also included was a condiment tray holding Devonshire cream, jam, lemon curd. Midway through our tea, we were offered additional tastings of our favorites. So although the individual portions were small, we were very satisfied by the food we ate, and the quantity provided. Side note: Many guests wore hats or "fascinators". Also a harpist provided music throughout the tea. This was a very enjoyable and unique experience. We were so impressed that we plan to go again and this time we'll wear hats! :)

I always wanted to do high tea here and it was lovely. Beautiful flowers and decor, harpist, and of course tea and treats: curried chicken salad, lobster salad, cucumber and tomato sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, lemon curd, and jam as desired, little cakes... Sure it's $45 a person but you will feel all fancy, and we did not need dinner later on. If you want seconds of something, just ask. If the teapot does not pour right, due to the tea leaves, ask for a fresh pot. The service is lovely. We had a reservation but for Sunday tea after 3:15 or so you could probably get in without. No need to wear your hat and gloves, but no shorts, ratty T-shirts... dress should be dressy-casual or better. They also have a princess tea for the younger set - check out their webpage.

Great Service here last night. David the waiter was on top of everything, When a Drink spilled he saw the table was to small and asked if we like to move to a bigger table which we did. The service and food was great. A party of 9 we all ate and drank good. To David our waiter we all want to say Thank you for a great experience.

First, the highlights. The setting is beautiful. We were seated next to an adorable fountain. I understand there is frequently a harpist; but not during our visit. There was quite a varied selection of teas, and mine was delicious. Our server did a more than adequate job. Now for the negatives. The food was uninspired and unoriginal and could have come from any quality deli. The sandwiches were a scoop of chicken salad on a slice of bread, a scoop of egg salad on a slice of bread, a scoop of lobster salad on a roll....You see where I'm going with this? There was one tasty vegetarian sandwich which didn't feel like it had been scooped out of a large plastic bin, but that was the exception. There was a scone, but it was completely unexceptional. And the desserts were obviously prepackaged. Only worth the money if you're really, really into ambiance.

We reserved here for afternoon tea on a Sunday, apparently a great tradition in Chicago. The room is beautiful, with an amazing flower arrangement in the middle and a harpist. Then the disappointment: The tea choices are great but the food is incredibly mediocre. It doesn't take much to prepare good sandwiches and freshly baked scones. But the offerings at the Palm Court fall far short of that. We also found the service very inattentive in terms of refreshing hot water for tea or asking for anything. At $50 per person + for tea, I would expect a lot more.

Great ambiance. Harp playing, lovely table setting, mirrors high tea in London. We enjoyed a leisurely tea with signature cocktails and flavorful tea. The finger sandwiches, pastries, and scones were what you would expect. The clotted cream, strawberry preserves, and lemon curd added nicely. The Drake Hotel, which houses the Palm Court, even provides a tour to pair with the tea during the weekday. We were a bit disappointed that we were unable to schedule the hotel tour. Would definitely go again. One of the best values in afternoon tea we have ever experienced.